Back Up Plan

 

 Remember these little guys, hatched last Labor Day weekend?

Mama sat a big clutch of eggs, but these two were the only chicks.  So she focussed all her love and affection on them (as did I!).

 

She watched over them, made sure the flock treated them kindly, and "raised them up" to be good chickens.  They learned pecking order.  And they grew up to be beautiful...

...ROOSTERS!!!  Drat!  I've already been through a rough time with roosters, first thinking I should add a second one to supplement Egglebert's somewhat disinterested attitude towards the hens, and then realizing I'd made a mistake. 

In a true touch of grace or synchronicity or whatever you prefer to call it, I heard from Peg.  You might remember that it was Peg who offered me Tweedledum, and tossed Tweedledee in as a bargain.  Clearly I was in a position now for some turnabout when she told me her hens had no one to look after them when they went outside!  "Peg," says I, "I can fix that for you!"

Peg stopped by last Sunday and I offered her a choice of the boy with the pink legs or the boy with the yellow legs.  That's the only way I could tell them apart.  She opted for the boy I could catch first and so took Mr. Pink home to a new flock.

But gentle readers, that is not the end of the story!

For Peg e-mailed me to inform me that upon arriving in his new coop, Mr. Pink was subjected to the pecking-order testing from the chief hen.  He took his pecks and then stood up tall to say "I am now cock of this walk!"  He and his five new girlfriends went out into their lovely fenced run, and Peg departed for her Sunday business.

She arrived home to large dog footprints in the snow, and black and white feathers.  And no Mr. Pink in evidence.  Her second thought was "what will I tell Johanna?!"  Peg went inside and poured herself a stiff drink, gathering her thoughts.

And that's when she heard the knock at the window.

Peg peered through the glass and who do you think she saw but Mr. Pink!  Out she went into the yard to corral him back in with his girls. 

So Mr. Pink is now ensconced in a lovely coop that matches Peg's house, with a lovely fenced run containing him and his lovely hens.  Happily ever after.

And I replied to Peg's e-mail that, while I was delighted to hear that Mr. Pink had survived the excitement, I had no worries, because I have a yellow-legged back-up!