A Wild Night Out

Things were unusually quiet in the pen this morning.  I had forgotten to close the door last night so everyone was up and out early.  Although I look forward to watching the morning acrobatics of running and flying, this gave me a chance to sit and hang out after everyone had gotten rid of that initial burst of morning energy.

After a few minutes,  I noticed that I would get weird looks from the chickens every time I moved or the camera's shutter made noise when I would take a picture.  These guys are not camera shy- I have been taking pictures since they were practically born... They were also being rather quiet, there wasn't  the usual morning chatter as they moved throughout the pen.  And, for it to be so early in the morning, there was a lot of laying around going on-weird.    Definitely not the typical morning in the coop.

Trying not to sulk, I sat still and simply watched and waited.  Slowly, facts begin to filter through my consciousness and dots began to connect.  ( I hadn't had my coffee yet!)   When it finally all came together, I could have slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand.    How could I have missed it, and been so blind when it was all right there in front of me to begin with!   

It was Saturday morning!  I had a bunch of teenage chickens and I had left the door open ALL night!  The weird looks I was getting?  Yeah, they were wondering if they were busted or not!   Their being quiet and reaction to the camera shutter sound?  They ALL had hangovers and were suffering in silence!  As for the laying around?  Being up all night and partying can wear a teenage chicken out!   I now understood all the preening going on.  It was every one's equivalent of a morning shower, washing away the evidence of a wild night.

Some days it is hard being Mother Hen......