Backyard bliss

The sun was setting over the little fenced in yard. LJ looked over his territory with a watchful eye on his charges as he settled down in a comfortable spot. All appeared well for now and it was hard not to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather.

Just this time last week the temperatures in this area were below 0 with bitter wind that made them all unhappy. But today, mild and a balmy 52, it almost felt like a heat wave. The dried wheat grasses that did not get mowed in the fall swayed lazily as the backyard inhabitants waded through looking for entertainment and probably some snacks.

LJ felt his eyes close as the happy sounds of his hens reverberated through the yard. Soft contented clucks came from the west side of the yard only interrupted by the occasional tussle as a few fought over discovered treasure.

Red came running by with the twins snapping at her heels. She had a worm hanging from her beak and could be heard squawking her disapproval at the younger two hens harassing her. Red was a Rhode Island Red and the oldest girl in the flock, been here since the owner's wife decided to get chicks on a whim. She even survived a brutal dog attack her first year in the yard that took the lives of all the other first flock hens.

The current flock was a modge podge group that has increased slowly over the past 3 years. The twins were the first ones introduced after "that dark day" as it was now known. They were so close in coloring LJ was really the only one who could tell them apart.

Red came dashing by again knocking LJ out of his memory and he attempted to scold the twins as they followed close by. As usual they paid him no mind. Red managed to swallow her prize before the twins caught her and strutted smugly on down the yard to her favorite watering bowl.

LJ looked at the sun and decided it was almost time to get everyone up for the night, he figured he had a few more minutes since the girls were all having so much fun.

Fluffy Cheeks cam up to him and snuggled in, fluffing her feathers as she sat next to him. She was the quietest of the flock and personally, his favorite. He crooned soft sounds of appreciation at her and she responded in kind.

He took a quick head count to be sure all were accounted for. Hobo was scratching on his right, she was adopted in from a neighbor and seemed to have adjusted well enough since last year. Then there were the 2nd set of twins, Scruffy and Duffy respectively. They were beautiful gold laced wyandottes but pretty high maintenance if you asked him. They were off on their own chattering on to each other. Then the black sex link Zelda and her best buddy Goldy were checking out the feed container to get themselves some last minute scratch before bed.

All appeared to be content and getting along for now. The pecking order in a flock was interesting and hierarchical in nature. LJ had a tenuous position as the protector and pro creator. The girls did what they wanted and usually paid him no mind.

He stood and stretched his legs before starting to wander down the yard to their coop. He hoped a new one was going to be raised this summer as the current one had taken quite a beating this past year from the elements. Him and hobo had developed a harsh case of frostbite on their combs from last weeks storms and ice.

He clucked at the girls and walked into the coop, he hopped up on his favorite roosting spot as the sun finally dipped below the hills casting the yard and coop into pale duskiness. Fluffy cheeks joined him shortly and not far behind her was the rest of the flock. They all settled in one by one and before long the soft rustling of feathers and cooing noises were all that could be heard. It had been a beautiful day and he was glad for it.