the chickens

I can't believe I have not blogged the chickens. I am down from six, to two now. Evil coons have killed them off. Every chicken that was killed was actually inside the safe enclosure at night, which no matter what we did, we could not coon-proof. We live-trapped four raccoons and two opossums and still they return to kill. So we are letting the last two be completely free-range. They run around the yard, nest in shrubs, and roost in trees at night and I think they can keep themselves safer. As soon as we start moving around or talking in the morning, the animals hear us through the bedroom window. The cat scratches on the bedroom screen, the chickens come up on the porch and start clucking. When I go outside, they come running at me like maniacal chickens for their chicken chow. A running chicken is an absolutely hilarious sight. Literally, I cannot help but laugh at a running chicken. If I have to go to the shed to get more chicken chow, they run over there right behind me, then they run back to the bowl. Sometimes we pretend they are after us and run around in mad circles, and they follow, pumping their plump little chicken legs. They follow me around when I work in the garden. They just like the company, I think. When I come home from work, they come running down the driveway to say hello. Funny chickens.