DID YOU LOSE YOUR CHICKENS?

Roosters in our yard.

While the boys were playing in the yard with Charles the other day, I look out the front window and see two roosters wandering around the yard, right by the kids. The roosters didn't seem to mind the kids, in fact, they were munching in the grass and seemed totally comfortable by them. Roosters? So, I got my camera. How often do you see roosters wandering in your yard?
That evening, our yard bunny joined them. It was kind of like living on a farm. I figured they'd be gone by the next day or, I'd call animal control if they decided to crow in the wee hours of the morning; but, neither happened. They were still around in the neighbor's yard, but had not woken us early with their crowing. So, I ignored them. They came over by our yard when we were outside playing, and were quiet in the morning. So, they stayed.

Boo-Boo Chicken

Leif and I had a lot of conversations about the roosters. From the first day they arrived, he loved them. He had come up to me and said, "These roosters have no one to take care of them....(long pause)...maybe we should take care of them?!"...as if that idea had just dawned on him.

He also was a little incredulous to find out that roosters were male chickens. "Mom." he said with some obvious disbelief, "Are they really male chickens? Do they bring people mail when they come by their houses?"

After dinner we went up the block for a walk. A man was grilling in his driveway, in front of one of the most disheveled houses on our block- broken down car in the driveway, weeds and randomly planted bushes in the front yard, garbage piled in the side yard, etc.
Leif shouts up to the guy: “Did you lose your chickens?”
The guy can’t hear or understand Leif, and says, “What?”
Leif shouts again, much louder, “DID YOU LOSE YOUR CHICKENS?”
The guy puts his hands to his ear and says, “I can’t hear him- what did he say?”
I decide to explain, “He wants to know if you lost any roosters- there have been some in our cul-de-sac today.”
“Oh, no, I  don’t have any roosters. I have dogs- I don’t think they’d get along very well.”
“Roosters eat dogs, you know.” Leif informs him. “So watch out for your dogs!”
“Oh, okay.” The guy goes along with Leif.
We continue to walk a few paces. “I LOVE YOUR HOUSE, BY THE WAY!” Leif shouts at up to the guy.
“Thanks!” The guy responds.
At this point I’m just laughing, but I’m very curious about what he likes about this totally disheveled house, so I ask him.
“The flag, mom. I like their flag. Can we get an American flag for our house?”
“Yes, Leif, I think we should.”

Bringing Boo-Boo to the Yellow River Game Ranch

So, to make a terribly long rooster story short: one rooster wandered off, and a neighbor called animal control who apparently found a home for him. The other rooster we named Boo-Boo Chicken and let him hang out for a few more days and then brought him to the Yellow River Game Ranch for his permanent home. And...we got an American Flag for our house, and put it up on the 4th of July! And that's what roosters have to do with American Flags, at least, at our house! 

Hanging our American Flag.