I'm sure some of you have heard the stories of the Brave Little Hen. She has no fear of the big kids, is always the first out of the crate, gets herself into all kinds of trouble. Well, here is another one. I had to go out of town today. So early this morning, I fed and watered, checked on everybody. When I opened the door BigRoo was as usual the first out, followed by his two hens. JrRoo and his three hens followed, just like normal. The bitties hopped out of their crate, milling around my feet, trying to jump into the feed bucket for the first bite, mobbing the first bowl filled and then settling down. Usually they will wander the outer regions of the run, behind the coop, slipping around the feed barrels, sort of like a casual hide and seek. So, like I said, I went out of town. When I got back this afternoon, I took a couple handfuls of chickweed and put them in bowls because my run is currently three inches of mud. I put some in the crates for the bitties, gathered my eggs and said goodnight. I always wait until they've gone to bed to close up. I'd hate for one to get left out overnight. The sun hits the horizon and I go out to close up. Usually BigRoo is the last in (I think he is gonna be a great protective roo), but as I walk up to the run door, I only see a couple of the bitties in the run. BigRoo has gone to bed, as had everyone else. Except the bitties. Those silly creatures are roaming the run, for all the world as if they are the Big Chickens. Now for those of you who have not suffered inches and inches of rain that turned the whole of my earth into a giant muddy sponge, there is nothing like watching 6 week old Barred Rocks and Buff Orpingtons trying to STRUT through the goop. Cause these girls could have been on the catwalks of Paris the way they were picking up those feet. But, I opened the coop door and they all came like obedient little chicks to go to bed. Except for Brave Little Hen. Of course. She decides she doesn't wanna sleep in the crate any more, she wants to sleep with the big girls and boys. JrRoo and his girls sleep in a pile, I haven't taught them to roost yet. So BLH goes running up to the pile, squats on the outside edge and just looks at me. One of the juvie girls take her head and butts BLH out of the pile. I can see Dottie and BLH in a power struggle later. So anyway, BLH decides she might be better off in the crate and finally goes to bed. Silly Brave Little Hen.