Saving a Chicken From Depths of Loo (Outhouse)

Lohutok, Sudan

  

Tonight we added another amusing chapter to my collection of experiences in Sudan.  As Lanny was chasing the chickens into the pen, one ran into the open door of the loo (outhouse).  It jumped up expecting to land on the seat but was surprised to find an uncovered opening.  With our flashlights, we could see the chicken sitting far below at the bottom of the pit.  Lanny tried to catch the chicken with a lasso which he made from twine.  It was soon apparent that this was a hopeless strategy.

  

I told Lanny that when I was a child, we caught chickens by the leg using a homemade wire "chicken hook".  The outer part of the hook was flared to make it easier to catch the chicken's leg and guide it into the narrow part which gently held the leg and kept the chicken from escaping.

  

Photo: A typical "chicken hook" made from wire

We quickly made a chicken hook.  Lanny fastened it on the end of a long bamboo pole.  He caught the chicken, but the bamboo was not flexible enough to go from the bottom of the pit, out the opening and through the doorway without brushing the chicken off against the sides of the pit.  Finally we got a long piece of stiff wire and bent one end into a chicken hook.  This time we were successful!  Lanny caught the chicken by the leg.  It came out of the pit upside-down, flapping its wings and squawking indignantly.  We tossed it into its pen, still squawking.  We then went into the house to eat supper which was waiting for us.