Fancy Louise, the little white hen with wonderful feathery feet, laid her first egg last week. It was perfect! And delicious, so thank-you-very-much-for-breakfast, Fancy Louise. Also last week, she developed a troubling independent streak. Once the easiest chicken on the farm to catch and cuddle, she is suddenly impossible to wrangle at bedtime. And if by chance she is in the coop yard when it’s time to close the door, then by gosh she bolts. She bolts heard! Head down, feathery butt shaking, beak forward. She makes a point to not be where she’s supposed to be. She relishes in disobedience, and it hurts my feelings. Egg-laying and independence-declaring. Are these things a coincidence? I think not. It’s okay, though, because of the free eggs.
In other poultry news, we have relocated Ethel the Las Vegas show girl to the chicken condominium. Pacino is dealing well with the move, though I have had to promise him regular face time. Ethel has a picturesque little white-feathered companion who so far has no name. Good thing, by the way, because this little hen might actually be a rooster. Feel free to brainstorm ideas for him.
Handsome cut windows in two sides of the condominium and covered them with chicken wire. I scraped the big, spacious box clean and added fresh shavings plus rose petals, wild flowers, and cedar limbs for fragrant nesting. I also tied up some scrappy tassels so the chickies have an interesting view.
Hopefully this coming week we will get to welcome Lucy to the flock, compliments of our friend, neighbor, and book club girl Seri. Lucy is more of a punk rocker than a Vegas entertainer, and she is awesome. You’ll see that for yourself soon.
The thing about chickens is how mission-oriented they are, despite their appearance of randomness. Their behavior is more predictable than you might think. So, keeping this in mind and knowing we have some sunset behavior to correct (Fancy Louise is not the only offender), Handsome and I are starting a new routine. We are ringing a bell every time we distribute snacks. It’s the Pavlovian thing, obviously.
So wish us luck! And send cozy thoughts in Pacino’s general direction. He needs a baby to love. But don’t we all?
Signed,
Nesting in Oklahoma
XOXOXOXO