One Gent and Nine Little Ladies

     Good Evening,

     Just returned home from a whirlwind trip to New York City, a little break in the acceleration of summer between July and August.  I love the city.  Neon blinking, traffic honking, aroma salivating stimulation bombarded my senses while traversing block after block from Penn Station to uptown.  

     And then I love to come home.  The simple pleasures of a donkey's bray, horse's whinny or goatie's blat never fail to welcome me back.  Thanks to Rod and a group of competent barn helpers, (thanks Alex, Courtney and Lauren), I was able to enjoy a brief hiatus from stall mucking and animal care.  

     Two weeks ago we agreed to take 10 surplus chickens that one of my students needed to find a home for.  We were excited to have chickens again, especially a flock of hens without a rooster to pester them.  Immediately, Rod began to build a coop for the chickens.  In the meantime the juvenile birds moved into our horse trailer for temporary housing.  

     Upon my arrival home, I learned that our young chickens had taken up residence in their newly erected coop.  This is not an ordinary chicken coop.  It is the Taj Mehal of chicken houses complete with a front porch and sliding glass windows.  The flock has spent the last twenty-four hours inspecting the generous space that the coop and attached outdoor pen will provide.  Six nesting boxes were installed later this afternoon which generated great interest from nine out of the 10 young birds.  In the last couple of days it has become apparent that one of the leghorns, (white chickens), is in fact a rooster!  Cock-a-doodle-doo!       

The chickens explore their new coop...

...and pen.

Finally, some dirt to scratch...

...and nesting boxes for egg laying.

One of these chickens is not like the others....because he is a rooster!  Surprise!