NAKED CHICKEN

Several years ago my next door neighbor and I had the big idea that we'd get little chicks for our children for an Easter present. We convinced ourselves that it would be a great learning experience for the kids as well as a way to get eggs in the future. We went to the local Farm and Tractor Center and picked six small chicks out of hundreds to put in a box, buy, and take home.

That Easter morning was particularly memorable as the children squealed with delight to have not only Easter eggs, but the incubated and hatched version of those eggs. They each picked their new pet out, and promptly gave them names. I remember a Dottie, Ginger, Pepsi to name a few. We kept them in the basement under lights until they were of a healthy size then we had to figure out what to do with them next. The idea came to fence in the sand box with chicken wire forming it into a makeshift chicken coop. After all, the kids stopped playing in it as it had become the neighborhood cat dumping grounds.

Several months into our project in farming, we were awakened at 5AM to the loud crooning of "COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!" Being within the city limits, and having neighbors close by, we realized that this would not do. A rooster watch commenced. Once the culprit was identified, he was removed to the country and put into a pen where he would be quite happy. Several days later, another "COCK-A-DOODLE-DO" was being loudly blasted. Rooster identified, and placed in the pen in the country with the other fellow. This happened three more times!!! Out of six chicks, only five were roosters, and one was a hen.

The chickens seemed happy out in the country, all except the one hen. As they continued to grow, the roosters pecked the heck out of the poor hen. She became the naked chicken. The poor hen needed rescued!

Anyway, I tell that story for all the women out there who feel like a NAKED chicken. Women have come a long way, and yet it seems at times, we have a long way to go. Sometimes I identify with that hen...more often than I'd like! So, I have officially changed the name of my blog to.........NAKED CHICKEN!