Things growing in our garden...
Now I know you all know about the chooks already, so I’m not going to be all coy about them, but I think it’s time I introduced them all properly:
This is Martha – the prettiest chicken (which is why I chose that she should have the name I wanted 
) sadly however she is bottom of the pecking order. Not that she gets a lot of grief, it’s just that whenever we give them kitchen scraps she gets pushed to the back of the queue. (Ooh and lightly microwaved potato peelings – they are the BEST!) But she’s a feisty young woman and has been seen to sneak the largest piece and run off to the corner by herself with it.
This is Kirsty. Probably top of the pecking order – they have all grown up together, so there’s very little actual pecking in evidence as they have the order established already. The others don’t seem to argue with her though.
And finally Lola – the most pushy of the three, and also the youngest (look at her comb – much smaller than the others’, although it’s visibly growing by the day).
Having chickens to go and meditate over (they are strangely addictive – just as bad at eating time as surfing the web) means we’re getting out in the garden a lot more – we’ve even re-established the compost heap. (Well, we need somewhere to put the droppings when John cleans out the Eglu.—Mind you, this does make sorting kitchen waste quite a palaver – scraps suitable for chickens, scraps suitable for the compost heap and everything else for the council compost collection.)
So a question – what is the correct way to address a flock of hens? “Hello girls” seems rather demeaning – granted they aren’t quite laying yet, but still they are approaching adulthood, infantilising them is inappropriate… “Hello ladies” – these chickens work for a living – they ain’t no ladies… – and yes, I know I’m over-thinking this one.
Being in the garden more means that I’ve been looking at things in the garden more:
All the usual sort of thing – blossom, fruit setting etc, but it was rather a surprise to find this growing next to the path…
Very tasty it was too roast alongside the sausages we had for dinner. (And yes, I ate it 
)
six comments:
Dad always used to yell “Hello Girls” when he went anywhere near their run! He also used to yell rude things at Ferdinand the cockerel (who was a lot smaller than the hens and who, in order to, er, reproduce, dug a hole, pushed his selected hen into it and then jumped on top of her! Much to the amusement of everyone!)Daisy () (link) - 06 May '07 - 22:06
Hey, chicks!
Chris () (link) - 06 May '07 - 22:55
I yell, “Hey, crazy birds! How’re my crazy birds?” and they all start trotting in my direction (hence confirming that they do all indeed believe themselves to be crazy birds).I should mention that I’m none too sane myself.
And you’re right, they are completely addictive. =)
obsidiankitten () (link) - 07 May '07 - 07:02
You’re having fun, I can tell. I WANT chickens. Now. (Doing my very best Verruca impression… Accidental asparagus, well done you! That’s supposed to be tricky. Sounds altogether like you have some very good excuses to be in the garden!
Louise () (link) - 07 May '07 - 08:20
I usually go with “Ladies” or “Girls.” They’ve never complained about either one. When we had roosters (Before the Fox) then I had to say “Ladies and Gentlemen.”In the morning, when it’s time to let them out of the coop, I generally put on my garden shoes and shout, “Release the hens!”
Chickens make you do odd stuff.
jessie () (link) - 07 May '07 - 11:38
g’day chooksra (link) - 13 May '07 - 15:22
