Speckle is a goat for now

Speckle was given to us after our flock was already established, so we kept her seperate so they wouldn't pick on her. Well, when winter 2007 loomed cold, we moved her from her private quarters in a custom-made hutch near the house to the barn, and let her stay in with the goats, still seperate from the rest of the chickens. We knew she would be warmer in the barn. Gradually she would mingle and gain acceptance with the rest of the chickens. Our rooster Lester actually became quite smitten with her. But we always joked that Speckle thought she was a goat rather than a chicken, because at night she always roosted in with the goats when she had full freedom to roost with the rest of the chickens. Also, she would frequently wander up to the house, she was the only chicken who found the hole in the gate. My daughters and sons always found a treat for her, a scrap of leftover or a cherry tomato . . .

Suddenly this winter we discovered that she made the jump into roosting with the rest of the chickens. Kind of bittersweet, really, that she had decided she was a chicken.

Well, yesterday morning she must have decided she's had enough of Lester and the rest of the crew. I opened the door to take some scratch grains into the hens, as I was going to leave them shut in since it was so cold. Speckle came and stood in the doorway as I held the door open, as if she were struggling with the choice. As she stood on the threshold between the worlds of poultry and caprine, Sissy came over and touched her nose to Speckle's comb. Speckle accepted her invitaton, and spent the rest of the day with the goats, and the night.

I wonder where she will end up tonight? Its cold again today, but the sun is out, so we opened the doors.

Mangus is doing great, over a week old now and so playful!