At one point, we were losing so many chickens to hawks and foxes we stopped naming them, and since we did that, we haven’t lost a single one. These three fit in very well at the farm, they have good boundaries. I love having chickens around, I love the fresh eggs, I love their pompous clucking and strutting.

Otherwise, I have little to do with them other than to feed them and care for them well, even Maria doesn’t spend too much time with them although she does bring them a steady stream of gourmet leftovers. In rain or hot sun, they hole up in the barn, looking important and glowering. They deserve a portrait, they do a great job of providing background here at the farm.

And one day soon, they will start laying eggs again. They stopped for the winter, but the days are getting longer.