all things chicken (or at least somewhat related)

 Did you know that chickens take baths? They do. Only with dirt, and not water. So now instead of the Beagles digging holes, my chickens are building dirt bath spots near the house. At least they're not ankle breakers and are up against the house or under the ramps.

 Leif, the head rooster, taking his bath in front of my puny (thanks to scratching chickens) hosta. See how they fluff their feathers up? Sometimes they look like they're having convulsions as they flip around.

 And the nesting saga continues. Above is the nest under the shed where at least one hen continues to lay.

 

And here is one of the nesting boxes with the plastic egg.

 

And that same nesting box after the chickens found the egg, kicked it out, and then pecked it apart. No funky colored eggs, for us!

 

 Until two days later, and then we'll lay an egg or two near the plastic eggs we've kicked beside the feeder. And then Joy, oh joy, we had FIVE eggs laid there!  So I bebop out there at goose feeding time for one last check for new eggs, bend down, and find...

GROSS ALERT!!!!! Do NOT scroll down if you are squeamish or faint of heart.

This creature (known as "the farmer's helper" (because they eat mice), chicken snake, or black snake) was INSIDE my hen house, beside the nesting box with the eggs. He moved quickly, going from one end of the house to the other, sliding over the hoe, under the hen house, and then up the side, on top of the roof, and into the tree. We finally had to leave him, hoping I had inflicted enough damage that he would not survive. It was not to be found this morning, and I hope it never returns.

I hope that's all the excitement we have for a while. Oh, and all but two of the birds are now back to laying in the garage. Thanks a lot, Mr. Snake!