Big Red and Madellyne

These occurred fairly close together--and there had been so much
going on.  Big Red is/was deaf.  Took me a while to figure it out,
but I did.  I started trying to watch her more closely than before.

We had gone into town and came back to find the chickens out
roaming.  I got them some freeze-dried mealy worms--their
favorite thing--and started calling them.  Here they came down
the hill with Blondie in the lead.  No Big Red.  Big Red was not
only the largest chicken but also the most goodnatured one.
Pecky picked (and pecked) on all the chickens.  Only Big Red
could stop her.  She would fly at Pecky, chest bump her, and
knock Pecky to the ground.

Since she usually stays close to home, I wasn't concerned at
first.  It started getting towards dark, and still no Big Red.
We began to look seriously for her.  We  looked everywhere.
No Big Red.  That morning was the last time we ever saw her.

We were still grieving her loss when the chickens were choosing
the next leader.  They chose Blondie.  She didn't really want it.  But
she wasn't a bully.  Madellyne, by far the prettiest chicken,
attacked Blondie.  She put up with it for a while, then, she got
angry--and turned on Madellyne.  I don't speak Chicken, but
anger was obvious.  And Madellyne ran behind a bush and hid.
Blondie let her be and backed off.  Like I said, Blondie didn't
bully the other chickens.

Madellyne made one last attempt at leadership.  It was dusk.  And
she tried to lead the chickens across the road and up the hill,
but when they heard us call, they left her on the hill alone.  I stood
outside trying to get her to come down.  She had wandered out of sight.
Mr. Natural was sure she would com back as it was very close
to dark.

We put the rest of the chickens in the tub--they hunkered down in
the bottom close to one another.  None got on the step stool, the
preferred place to perch.

Blondie was now the official leader, whether she wanted it or not.
Madellyne never returned .

Kate Thorn