Indoor Egg Hunt, Again...

After suffering a setback which involved her darting out underneath the running feet of N. and getting stepped on, Maggie has bounced back. She is now back to the point of standing and hopping again, and seems to be settling in as Housechicken Supreme. She's got the routine down. We put her out in her little run during the day but she spends the night in the kitchen. Maggie has discovered (to our endless amusement) that owing to the slickness of the linoleum floor, she can get around quicker and easier if she flaps her wings madly and does her little hippity-hop run simultaneously, thus zooming about the kitchen. It looks like chicken ice skating. Maggie has adjusted well, and has learned that there is a lesser chance of N. stepping on her if she sensibly stays put on her towel in the evenings.

But the other day it was raining, and since she is still sitting most of the time, Maggie had to stay inside.

Cue loud, unhappy chicken howls. Lots of them. From a BIG hen.

I did open the sliding glass door a bit so she could at least socialize with the other chickens who were huddled on the back porch. THEY howled because it was cold and wet outside, and Maggie was dry and warm INSIDE. I mostly yelled back for EVERYONE to shut up, already.

After a bit I went out to the living room to fold laundry, and listened to Maggie whine and move about restlessly. I knew what THAT meant, but didn't really have anything for her to lay her egg in or on--besides, no matter how nice of a nest you make for a chicken trapped indoors, they will inevitably choose their OWN nesting spot.

She did, finally...here she is giving me a dirty look:

Under my desk. She did manage to pull over a file folder and scatter it's contents, but that was easily picked up later on.

Spring!

And it's time to harvest the fruit from our dwarf Blood Orange tree! Direct Chicken Supervision was of course provided at all times.

I'm always amazed at the amount of fruit that little 12 foot tree can hold! And just in time, too. The thing is blooming and new fruit is forming...see the little tiny green ball in the middle?

Now I have to figure out what the heck to DO with all that fruit within the next few days...

Meanwhile, a few pictures of the first day of Spring:

The blossoms on the white nectarine tree, due for harvest around July-August:

...and the volunteer nasturtiums that reseed themselves and come up in the front yard every year.

All the orange trees around here are blooming, and the air smells great for a change.