Back to chickens again

My chickens are hilarious. They make me laugh everyday. In fact, they make me laugh multiple times a day. 

My youngsters are growing up. Fate was on my side and I ended up with a rooster in my bunch of chicks that were all supposed to be pullets. I am really glad because I needed to have a new younger rooster in there anyway. Let’s focus on him a little. 

Right now he is a teenager. Complete with a lack of focus, a mix of bravado and scaredy cat, some downright stupid acts and some that completely make sense. Several days ago, I was looking out the window to see him come tearing out of the coop into the run to chase some sparrows and doves out of “his” space. After the sparrows flew up and were perching in the holes on the chain link wire, he still was hopping to see if he could get closer to peck at them. Then, just a couple of days ago, he learned that he could crow. It was kind of like watching the embarrassment of a young male teen when their voice starts changing. He would stretch his neck up, make a goofy crowing sound, and then look around to see if anyone noticed. Then he would lower his head and walk a ways before he tried again. At one point he even flapped his wings a little, and crowed again. The pullets completely ignored him. Later that day I watched him do what we call “the rooster dance.” The rooster will sidle up to a hen and then kind of patter their feet on the ground while shaking the wing away from the hen. It reminds me of the comic renditions of a guy coming on to a girl in a bar. At this point the pullets are not even aware that it means anything. 

He is also starting to peck at food and make the cluck that only roosters do when they have found something good. They will peck at it, make the clucking sound, and the hens will gather around to partake of whatever goody he has found. Yesterday it was some cherries I had canned that the bottom of the jar had broke in the canner. I didn’t want to take a chance on their being safe for us to eat, so they went out to the chickens. The minute they hit the ground, here the pullets came, and then he ran into the middle and started pecking and clucking. They all enjoyed the wonderful treat. 

It is Pasta salad time.

Chicken Fajita Pasta Salad

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon fajita seasoning

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup cilantro

8 ounces penne pasta (for a higher protein and lower carbohydrate, I use chickpea pasta)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 poblano pepper, sliced

3 tablespoons fajita seasoning

1 can (14 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can 7 oz.) sweet corn drained and rinsed

2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped, or just left over chicken

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Cook the pasta. Make the dressing by blending the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, fajita seasoning, salt pepper and cilantro. Heat the 1 tablespoons oil in a large skillet, add the onions and peppers and cook until slightly charred and tender-crisp. Stir in the fajita seasoning and cook another minute. In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta, the shredded chicken, the sautéed vegetables, beans and corn. Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss to coat. Serve warm or chilled.