Our Chickens Are Afraid of Cheerios

Nothing - and I mean nothing - makes Jo happier than going outside, calling her chickens, and having them come running to her with their weird, rocking gait. She laughs out loud when they mill around her feet, and says things like, "Ladies! Ladies! Ha ha ha ha! I can't walk! Let me through or you'll never get your treat! Ladies! Ha ha ha ha ha!" I know they're just coming for the food, but it makes me as happy as it makes Jo.

Yesterday we tried to feed them some leftover Cheerios and milk. They LOVE milk - but the Cheerios really freaked them out. We put down the dish and they all came running over, then backed off - making concerned sounds and turning their heads sideways to get a good close look with one eyeball. They decided it was just too dangerous and started wandering away - but we called them back. I fished one Cheerio out of the milk and set it on the ground near the dish. Whew! Now it was safe! Freckles (the head biddy) gobbled it up, but still looked concerned about the whole dish with the weird, floating circles. I fished another one out and set it down - she ate that too. She finally decided the whole dish was safe and they all dove in - first eating all the Cheerios, then drinking down the milk. I wonder what they thought it was? Jo thinks they thought it was a many-eyed, shape-shifting monster.