Well this explains alot...the aggressive personality, the hen pecking, and the avoidance of any human affection! It has been quite some time since last I blogged but life has been busy and exciting over the summer. There has been wine walks at the store to prepare for, farmer's markets to attend and a garden that requires tending. The days have started earlier and earlier and ended later and later. I have gotten into a routine with my chickens. I get up and go outside to let them out of the coop for some early morning exercise, grass nibbling and bug or worm scratching. Stella is the first to haul tail feathers out of the coop followed by the other two chickens. Then the romp begins with Stella flying at the other two hens raising her feathers and either pecking at them or trying to jump on them with her feet. They seem to hold their own though by either ignoring her or fluffing their neck feathers and standing their ground. I'm becoming very fond of their coos and clucks. Raquel sounds like a muffled trumpet and I have picked up her do-di-do-di-doo which I annoyingly sing at work when I'm happy. But Stella has been trying to make sounds deep in her throat which I just attributed to her crazy (could someone have dropped her on her head?) personality! Well lo and behold the next morning I hear a throaty hoarse "rock-a-doodle-doo" which progressively gets louder and louder. I am in shock and this is not because I'm hearing this all before my alarm clock goes off...about an hour before my alarm goes off! I have hens. I grab my robe and run outside. No sound-nothing. I let the chickens out, they follow their usual routine and I go back in the house thinking it was all a dream. Then "rock-a-doodle-doo" and I run out again staring at my Stella who was all along a "Stanley". We are not allowed a rooster in the city limits so I'm hoping she (he-this will take some time getting used to!)will limit his crowing and maybe our neighbors will grow fond of the sound as I have.
