"You Big Chickens" (and other chicken and egg sayings)

The other day I was hanging out watching our four younger Ladies doing their thing.  They were scratching in the dirt and pecking at the remainder of some treats I had given them.  They are pretty chatty - always peep peep peeping.  But lately their voices are starting to change.  They sound like some adolescent boys with their voices cracking.  While I watched, one of the Ladies - I think it was Bella as she is noisier - said "Peep Peep Bok!"  At that all four - including the offender - bolted for the coop, terrified by that new noise.  My immediate reaction was laughter and to tell them they were a bunch of "Big Chickens!" which in turn made me laugh even harder.

Luna running for safety!

 

As I stood there waiting for the Ladies to settled down and venture back out I began thinking.  There are an amazing number of sayings that are related to chickens and eggs.  There's the obvious insult to someone's bravery.  Until we got the Ladies, I never realized how chicken Chickens really are.  But seeing as they are prey - I guess their fear serves them well.

 

Then there's "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."  Although we have never hatched eggs, from what I hear, it is definitely not a 100% success rate kind of enterprise.  We certainly did learn that even after they hatch, some don't make it.

 

JiJi, Luna, Ebony, and Rosey at arrival

 

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket." They do break easily - ask Emma.  She has been known to drop an egg on occasion. 

 

How about figuring out the "pecking order"?   I watch that on a daily basis.  The Ladies are always jostling for top bird position.  It was particularly noticeable when we still had Hedwig.  Luna is definitely top Lady right now, but Hedwig as a young rooster was always challenging this position.  It always involved some pecking.  It's kind of related to "ruling the roost".  Top bird gets choice spot on the roosts and therefore gets to rule!

 

JiJi, Ebony, and Luna on their first roost

 

Then there is "Playing chicken". You know - the game where you run at each other and see who "chickens out" first?  Apparently that really is a chicken game.  The Ladies love to play.   I see it most while they are working on the pecking order.  You know how it goes - if you chicken out first, you are NOT top bird!

 

And...  "Nesting behavior".  I remember before we adopted the Emma and Meghan, I definitely did some nesting.  It didn't look like what I see Lacy doing but I get it.  Lacy actually makes more of a mess - sitting in the nesting box and throwing shavings everywhere.  Me?  I was more focused on cleaning up!

 

Lacy's "nest" in the garden

 

I could go on and on.  There are a few that I think aren't very fair to my Ladies.  Bird brain.  Dumb cluck.  Bad egg.  In a Stew. Chicken Scratch.  Maybe the people that came up with those didn't have chickens.