Louis bug and company

I'll never forget the first time I noticed Lula, she was with her sisters running around the box she was so tiny the runt-for sure.  She kept getting knocked over..the girls were so scared and running around, Lula could never gain footing and she just cried and cried.  

I scooped her up, calmed her down, she slept in my hands for hours.

I was suffering from some major allergies around that time, and I just wanted to lay in bed and read.  So, as the days went by, I would put my hand down in their brooder box and Lula would come running and sit in my hand, I would lift her out put her in a towel and to bed we would go.  I read, she slept.  

More days went by, she helped me study on my desk, watched t.v., followed me around the house.

The first day

she slept that way all night long

helping me study

watching t.v.

doing a little homework

demanding attention

human roost

Then she moved outside and she began to stand out from the other girls, her legs were massive, her comb was bigger, her tail feathers were starting to look different.  I was in denial about my baby Lula being Louis, I tried to avoid her, our city doesn't allow roosters.  So I was trying to detach myself, I was really-really upset about it.  But I was hanging onto a meager ounce of hope b/c she hadn't crowed and she's 4months old.

The day I was working on this post, I realized I didn't have any updated photos of Lula, so I let her out to roam around as I took some pictures, then promptly put her back up.  I got 5 steps away and then my heart sank.  She He let out a pitiful crow.

We were as shocked, but I think he was REALLY shocked.  The earth stood still as my brain finally accepted--Louis

Louis still follows me around like a loyal little puppy-dog.

Angie, eating goodies off my leg

 While I was waiting for my cabinets to dry, I went outside and sat underneath a shade tree, and Louis followed, I was watching the bigger girls, when I felt this awkward presents, I turned around, and Louis was breathing down my ear. 

The green spot in the photo is my shoulder, he was pressed up against me, staring me down.  I was afraid he wanted to roost on my shoulder-which is fine when she weighed less than a pound and his talons tickled.

We aren't sure about Louis' fate, but I am pretty attached to the little guy.  He's so cute in the morning, he hops and he's so eager to go outside.  So cute!!

A long time ago, when I was working through college, I worked at a ranch with a lady that lived in the city and she had a rooster, she crate trained that damn bird.  His name was butterball, I had forgotten all about it, until one day last week, I was laying on the couch and the memory shoved its way forward.

I told the husband about it, and he threw his head back and laughed. At first I thought he didn't believe me, but he said, "nah baby, I believe you, but when you think about a rooster, you never associate, crate training with it."

So if the neighbors complain too much we will try crate training him, but our neighbors are pretty cool.  Plus he doesn't exactly have a crowing schedule yet, he can go all day and not crow.  So we are playing it by ear (literally) 

I was painting in the house last night and he and the husband came to see me!!  I never know when a chicken is gonna come inside and tell me about their day!!

This is the best picture I can get of the little girls and Louis.  

As silly as it seems, I love all these silly-silly-perfect chickens!!