The Dead Chicken
The Chickendads loaded up the van with chickens and a grandson and went to the Michigan Chickenstock last Saturday. They had lots of fun talking chicken with other chicken people and many of the Little Boys and Girls found adoptive parents. They tried to find a home for Stanley the Sussex Rooster, who acted most manly and crowed his greetings to everyone, in spite of his bum leg. However no one wanted to take him in exchange for his alarm clock abilities, so he went back home.
When they got home and unloaded, Mrs. Chickendad decided to put Stanley in a pen that had been freed up. It was a hot, humid day, and she thought Stanley would appreciate a fresh outlook on life and a softer bed for his leg.
A few hours later, she went to check on Stanley. He was stretched out under the water fount on his side with his legs out behind him. Oh no! Poor Stanley! When she reached out to take him out of the pen, Stanley woke up! He had been sleeping with his head under the water jug, trying to keep cool. He was most certainly not dead! He had just discovered a way to beat the heat. Now that the Chickendads realize Stanley is smart as well as beautiful, they are going to redouble their efforts to help his leg.
Meanwhile, back at the Main Coop, Barbara and Leroy were let out with the Big Girls to play. There were lots of pieces of cold watermelon rind to help them cool off. The Baby Boys and Girls were a little afraid of it, but eventually ate most of the red part. Barbara and the other Big Girls dove right in and cleaned it up in a jiffy, and looked around for more. Spa treatments were next on the agenda, so the Big Girls waddled over to the spruce tree and wallowed in the black dirt.
Cecily and her three white babies had been there earlier. Cecily taught her children how to take a proper dirt bath, and now she has three little grubby gray babies with snowy white wing feathers. She has also taught them how to eat corn on the cob, and they had a family party. After their tummies were full, Cecily decided that it was time for bed and toddled off to the Broody House. Mrs. Chickendad had rigged a ramp up to the door, and after a little while the babies got the idea to walk up and jump back into bed. That is a lot easier than trying to catch the little buggers, but the babies are a bit slow so it took a lot longer. This will probably work out better for Cecily, too, as she is looking for a babysitter after spending so much time with her children. Sometimes a girl just has to find some me time!
