Friday, July 31, 2009

The Ladies

"The Ladies" is the term of endearment we use to refer to the chickens, AKA Maude, Lottie and Wanda.  We use this often, in sentences such as, "Did you feed the ladies?" and "The ladies are at the back door" and "The ladies are pooping on the picnic table." As you can see, the ladies are always up to something. 

Maybe because we're first timers when it comes to chickens, we find everything they do amusing and interesting.  They're great at parties, too. Stick a few city dwellers in front of chickens and they'll be entertained for hours. Somewhat less amusing is the large number of flies that their excrement attracts to our yard, but they more than make up for it with their antics. 

Their personalities have also started to come through. Wanda (left) is the food whore. She will come running all the way across the yard if she thinks you have something to feed her. Lottie (top right- we were having a moment) is the friendliest and smartest. In the hypothetical game of "Which One Would You Eat if you HAD To," Lottie gets saved every time.  Right now Maude (below) would be the bird of choice, and not just because she has whiskers and crazy orange eyes.  She's just a little...off, and kind of a pain in the ass bird. Every single day she manages to get herself stuck in the pumpkin patch, even though Wanda and Lottie manage to get out just as they got in - through the gap in the fence.  I have several scratches on my legs from having to crawl in there, catch her, and free her from her pumpkin prison. 

Don't worry, though, nobody's getting eaten. They're too amusing, even when they're being naughty. Besides, we haven't even gotten any eggs yet!  Egg watch begins August 15.