YIKES, time sure is slippery.
OK, so let's see how best to catch up.
CHICKEN NEWS
Way back, about the time of my last post, Mr. Wonderful decided that we didn't have enough egg laying hens. So, when he discovered someone selling 2 chicks on Craig's List, well, he just had to have them. They were a different breed than our Golden Comets and he figured diversity is a good thing. Babies are just fun, yes? How can you not like little, fluffy, peeping chicks.... no way, you've gotta' love 'em. Silly little things. They spent the first few weeks in the chicken condo, but quickly went free range. The Big Girls just ignored them as they all went about their business, scoping out the best bugs and best spots in my perennial flower beds to have a dust bath (ARGH!!!).
Well, soon enough we started hearing a strange croaking sound coming out of one of them... it sounded awful, like CROWING. OMG, we have a rooster, a teenage voice-cracking rooster! It was the bigger black one. We named him Fritz after my father. Fritz and his lady were inseparable, so we decided to name her after my mother: Fritz and Frannie. Fritz quickly grew in stature, and was very much a proud cock. Frannie was multi colored with beautiful flowing feathers. Lovely. Eventually, we threw them together with the Ladies so they could get better acquainted. Talk about feathers flying.... it took a while, but pretty soon Fritz became the master of his domain, and the flock would spend their days wandering about with Fritz keeping a good watch out for danger.
Now, you probably don't know this (because most folks don't know much about chickens... I surely didn't before Mr. W. decided it was time for me to learn), but roosters do a cute little dance before... uh.. before "mating". They drop one of their wings, drag it around on the ground as they circle their.... uh, desired mate, and then, they POUNCE. Chicken love ain't pretty, friends. To be honest, it was a bit shocking for me to witness this new addition to my chicken behavior file, but Fritz got to be quite proficient. One day, Mr. W. was surprised to notice Frannie seemed to be imitating Fritz with that wing dance move. HMMMMMMMM. What's going on? Is Frannie copying Fritz because he's her good buddy and she figures she should have all his moves just 'cause they're so close? HMMMMMMM. Then, soon after, came that strange croaking sound from Frannie's lips (I know, I know.... she has a BEAK, not lips, but you know what I mean). OH NO, it soon became very clear that Frannie was not a Frannie at all! Frannie was a FRANK!
And there you go. Frank kept learning from Fritz, but never ever equaled him in stature with the Ladies. Not until Fritz was eliminated, that is. Poor Fritz. Poor stupid Fritz. He was out exploring the mysteries of "why did the chicken cross the road?" and got hit by a car. That left Frank all alone to mange the Girls. Could he do it, we wondered? No prob, bob. Frank soon demonstrated what I have learned many times.... out of the chaos of challenge comes new opportunities for growth and happiness.
And with the Ladies all to himself, Frank is one happy fella', I can tell you that.
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