Good Morning, another day dawns down on the ranch. Yesterday was exciting to say the least and the unlikely source of the excitement....chickens ! Chickens, little feathered birds that contentedly cluck their way through the day, benevolently laying rich yellow yolked eggs.....NOT !! The day began as normal, well, as normal as it gets round here, animals were fed and turned out. We had Trisha and John so chores were allocated accordingly ( slave labor compulsory ). Since John doesn't "do" the working ends of horses cows goats sheep or chickens Greg gave him a pitchfork (he's good like that), the quad, the trailer and precise instructions...he's very good at that too. John was assigned to pick up the discarded hay from around the hay feeders and treat the chickens to the goodies. Greg opened the gate to the chicken pen and locked John in .....not looking to comfortable ( John or the chickens !) we walked off, reassuring big brother that when he had completed his assignment he would be duly released by sister Trish...who was also given her assignment to clean out Destinys field and stall while Greg and i milked Molly Moo. Sadly ( for John).. Off went Trish with her wheelbarrow, off went Greg and I to milk Molly Moo and there was John, surrounded by chicken poo and feathers..looking even less comfortable ! We FORGOT John. There we were, each engrossed in our chores, Molly Moo munching contentedly when like a bolt out of the blue I remembered my brother. OOOps !!! Poor John, incarcerated with the curious chickens and roosters had been howling for his release and his calls had been unanswered. I owe him one...he may never recover. But it got worse ! . Having checked Adolf the roosters butt end (not a pretty sight) I determined that he had recovered sufficiently to return to his Hareem. Being in an assigning mood, Greg was summoned to catch Adolf and after another dousing of antiseptic purple spray asked to take him back to his ladies. Unfortunately...for us and apparently happily for the flock, Greg neglected to close the gate properly. There they were, all over the barnyard...Bran the dog was in seventh heaven, something to chase ! We sprang into action, I was so proud of my English team, there they were rugby tackles, ducking diving and leaping around after the not too impressed trouble makers and we got them all. Sadly the entertainment didn't last too long, they were too efficient ! The days drama didn't end there and my typing finger ( notice ...one finger ) is getting weary but my journal is as yet incomplete and my story still untold. Evening chores and there was I, returning from feeding the chickens in the roost, bravely facing off the roosters twitching wattles and the chickens aggrivated pecks when I noticed the door of the chicken Shack ( the other chicken pen) was open. I called, I jumped up and down and I yelled but the door stayed open. As I reached the Shack, Lamb chops woolly butt was reflected in the light coming through the door. It got worse...much worse.. The band of 3, Lamb Chop, Macho the buck AND Daisy May had all broken into the chicken house....the chickens were standing on top of each other jammed into the corner as the 3 amigos in a line stared at them.by this time, bodies were appearing from all over the barn responding to my calls. Daisy May and macho, not too interested by the neighbours digs were happy to evacuate but Lamb chop had to be pushed unceremoniously out by his butt end and his oversized "bits". What a day. Ok, hopefully today will be quieter, an earthquake or volcanic eruption probably wont cause quite as much disruption...time to go, take care, M .
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