It's been a rough week, but we'll bounce back, we always do.  Last week I fractured my foot and have been hobbling around on crutches.  That same night, I developed a sore throat (see? that's what I get for going to the doctor, more germs!) and ended up sick and fevering for the past week.  It's very unlike me, I have a healthy diet and lifestyle, but whatever this virus is going around, it's vicious and hangs on.

My husband, who normally only helps with farm chores when I ask him to (he has a fancy day job), graciously stepped up to help so that I could rest and recover.  Chickens are very sensitive to changes in routine and our chickens took this as their opportunity to make mischief.  The brats actually hazed my husband!  He caught several chickens nibbling on eggs, a definite no-no, something they don't do when I'm around.  Then they slacked off in their laying.  I wouldn't have minded, except I know how approximately how many eggs I get daily.  They've acted very spoiled while I've been sick.

This morning my fever was finally down (I'm buying a big batch of elderberries and making elderberry syrup for us all to take daily during winter) and I hobbled out to the coop.  When I opened the coop door, the chickens ran out and came to a screeching halt when they saw me.  Seriously, they were acting guilty!  Normally they crowd around me cooing happily.  Everyone avoided me, suddenly found the woods and digging holes very interesting.  No wonder--when I went into the coop, they'd kicked the baby chicks out of their brooder box and laid a big pile of eggs there.  Mama's back in charge and everyone will behave from now on, got it, ladies?