The Gender Queer Chicken

Well. This morning we were in the kitchen making breakfast and we heard a strange noise that sounded like… like… a dying animal?

It sounded once.

It sounded twice.

And then the dying-animal-cough blossomed into a loud, clear COCK-A-DOODLE -DOOO of sorts.

I looked up from the bagel I was toasting and listened, not sure what I had heard….

And there is was again.

One cough/strangle….

Two cough/strangle….

And on the third try….

COCK-A-DOODLE -DOOO!!!

Banjo Boy and I raced outside to the chicken coop to find LeMerle standing on her tiptoes and strutting her stuff. She was DEFINITELY crowing. I’m reluctant to admit that she might be a he… .because that would mean that we would have to get rid of her…. but even if she’s a SHE… we can’t keep anything that crows….

I have found some info online that says dominant hens (and that’s our LeMerle) can take on rooster-like behavior, and can even crow occasionally…

I’m hoping that’s the case, and that the “occasional” crow is rather rare. I’m staked outside right now in a lawn chair observing. Time will tell.

Oh, my poor little Gender Queer chicken. What pronouns do I call you by?