The Rooster Chronicles Part I

So, as many of you know, my dearest husband and I determined that we would get some chickens back in June. Upon making this determination, we did extensive research about the ordinances in our city and zone as well as the types of hen and coop we wanted. The first decision we made after this extensive research was that we neither wanted nor would it be legal for us to house a rooster on our residential property.

We then went to the Round Up, a local feed store, to pick out our HENS. No one mentioned there was any chance we would be getting anything other than females. Well, it is now October and we have invested hours of love and attention in our six hens, Kya naming them all Disney princess names. We have anxiously visited the coop and nesting boxes each day hoping for the first egg.

Saturday morning, at about 6:15, a rare morning when our children had not yet awakened by this hour, Scott and I both opened our eyes and looked at each other with that, "did you hear that?" look on our faces. A soft, but distinct, "cock a doodle doo" resounded yet again as first light broke over the mountains outside. "That's odd," we thought, and rolled over and went back to sleep until the kids got us up about 7.

Each morning since (going on six days), that crowing has gotten louder and stronger...

On Tuesday, Scott asked me to change the water for the hens. No big deal. Run in the coop, get the waterer, wash it out, put it back. I had an OB appt. that morning and we were running early for a change, so I buckled the kids in and headed for the coop to do my requested duty. WELL, I was in for a surprise. The largest of our "hens" was on top of one of the others...hmmmmm, I thought...well, I will ignore that little scene and go about my duties.

WRONG.

Our sweet border collie Jake followed me as usual, and promptly upon entering the coop, the large "hen" began attacking my legs and feet (I had on new sparkly silver flats.) It became obvious that I had interrupted the activity in which he was engaged and that he didn't like it. I screamed and in my surprise I allowed the large hen and its partner to escape. They then startled as Jake ran up to check them out. So they began to attack Jake. He yelped, and I yelled, "Run Jake run!!!!!" I grabbed a board from the wood pile and shooed the large hen back into the coop. The other hen was still outside the coop and I couldn't leave her out there! So, I held my breath and mustered all my courage and picked her up. I was already covered in muddy water and chicken poo, so it couldn't get any worse. She was surprisingly soft and sweet to me. I gently tossed her back in the coop.

I locked the coop and ushered Jake to the backyard, and then got into the car, poopy sparkly flats and all. I breathed a big sigh as I sat in the recently cleaned driver seat of our Volvo thinking perhaps I am not such a country girl after all. Kya asked innocently, "How are the chickens doing this morning mommy?" I answered her by saying, "Well my love, I think we have a rooster..." and I heard a faint "cock a doodle doo" as I pulled out of the driveway.