I heard the noise and was standing at the sliding glass door before I was fully awake. Children? Cat fight? No -- wait, I know this sound -- CHICKENS!

(Photo stolen from MyPetChicken.com, a great source for all things chicken)

Our little pullets, in their coop at the edge of the yard, were cackling to beat the band, at precisely the moment that the sun burst over the Sierras and turned my bedroom orange. Humph, just chickens, I thought, and then I was alarmed again. Why are they cackling? Gosh they're loud -- are they out? Is there a coyote in the yard?!

"Mama, Mama!"

My thoughts were interrupted as Smedley burst into the room. We talked right over each other.

"Honey, I think --"

"The chickens are making --"

"-- the chickens are out!"

"-- a LOT of noise!"

Oh.

"Would you put on your --"

"I'm gonna go out and --"

"-- shoes and check --"

"-- see why they're clucking!"

"-- on them?"

Oh. Okay, thanks.

A few minutes later Smedley was back, breathless. "They're all in their pen, Mama! They're fine."

"No coyote then?"

"I didn't see anything," she said. "They're just having a big ol' conversation, that's all!"

Smedley tends to see the world in terms of talking and not talking.

"Were there any eggs?"

"No, I didn't see any eggs."

"Well, Grandpa built them nesting boxes, which is probably where the eggs would be* . . . did you look in there?"

"No -- be right back!"

And away she raced for a second look. A minute later she was back with the report. "No eggs in the nesting boxes, Mama!" she barked.

"Well, thank you, Smed, for checking," I answered. I hadn't thought about a possible egg supply just yet; weren't these pullets just babies the other day? But no, they seem to be almost fully-grown hens, almost ready to pop out an egg a day. And MAN are they loud! It's been a long time since we had chickens, and I'd forgotten what a ruckus they make. No wonder cities have No-Chicken Ordinances. Just wait until the ladies actually lay eggs; the pre-dawn cacophony will be a daily alarm. These had better be some awe-inspiring eggs we're sponsoring.

I hope Chas didn't get the industrial-sized eggs-o-plenty at Costco today.

(Photo stolen from these guys)

*Not necessarily; chickens sometimes lay their eggs on the ground or on ledges until they get the hang of their nesting boxes. At least, MY childhood chickens sometimes made those idiotic choices. Chickens are not known to be MENSA candidates.