Everybody knows, the tallest chicken is the boss. If you’re a chicken, it’s okay to cheat and stand up on your tippy toes and stretch your neck out to make yourself look bigger. Heck, you can even gain a few inches by standing on the ramp, instead of on the ground.
As far as other-gender secondary sex characteristics, Harriet has contented herself with growing just the one spur. I had several chicken owners write me last time and say that it’s not unusual for hens to grow a spur or two after they stop laying eggs.
That’s not something they ever mention in the books! Maybe because most chicken books assume you won’t be keeping your hens after they go through Chicken Menopause.
S-T-R-E-T-C-H, Harriet!
Harriet is a lovely role model for trans-gender chickens everywhere!
(I had heard that one of the hens in an all-female flock would take on the role of rooster, but since we’ve always had a rooster or two, I’ve never seen it in action.)
Menopause already? Is that normal? How long do chickens live?
So the chickens are beginning to hit menapause after only 3 years? And the eggs are averaging out to a dollar a piece? That really puts things in perspective, grocery store-wise.
Remember that the egg cost includes Erika’s medical bills from when she hurt herself working on the coop. Erika, what would the cost be without that?
Excellent memory as always, Franz! I started typing up a full break-down of all the costs, but I decided it should probably be a whole separate blog post, not just a comment. I’ll post all the numbers in a little bit!