Define Friends

Chapter 54

Collin follows Sophia to the front door. Sophia opens the door and quickly puts on her boots. "You coming?" She asks, looking back at Collin.

"Boots. Is there a spare one I could try?"

"Yes, my dad's." She says, pointing to the black boots sitting at the end of the row.

"Those black ones?" Collin points to it while approaching the boots.

"Yes."

Collin quickly puts them on and quickly catches up to Sophia, "So, we're getting the eggs first?"

"No." Sophia says, opening the gate to be swarmed by chickens.

Collin is surprised by the chickens, but still stays near Sophia, "Then what...?"

"Well, I have to check on Little Pearl, Emerald, Silver, Big Eyes, and Fluffy."

"OK. Can you show me who is who then?"

"Oh and The Ragged Buff, Road Runner, and Theadore."

"Alright..."

"OK." Sophia says, crouching down near a white fluffy chicken. "Come here girl." She says to it. Slowly, the chicken approaches and Sophia carefully picks her up. "This is Little Pearl." Sophia says, holding her close to her chest and stroking her little head.

"She's fluffy... I suppose that's where the name comes from right? Like a little... FLUFFY PEARL!"

"Uh, sure." Sophia says, gently setting her down again. "Now, do you see those two chickens?" Sophia asks, pointing at two fluffy black and white hens.

He looks at them, "Yes."

"Those two are Silver and Emerald." Sophia says, walking towards the coop. "Oh, and that orange fluff ball right there is Fluffy."

Collin scans for the orange fluff ball and sees it, "Ah ok," keeping track of the chicken's name.

"And that orange hen is Big Eyes." She says, pointing to another orange hen. Collin nods. "Now, I should probably grab the eggs." Sophia opens up the egg hutch, revealing 10 eggs of different colors.

"You see the blue and green eggs?" Sophia asks, picking one up.

"Right, I see them."

"Those are Easter Egger eggs. We have 10 Easter Eggers, but since they aren't reliable layers, we barely get any."

"Ah ok, what do you do with them?"

"Well, we give them away." Sophia says, carefully placing the egg in the basket and reaching for another one.

"To who or where?"

"People who ask." Sophia responds, closing the hutch. "Now, follow me."

"Oh ok," Collin follows Sophia. Sophia heads to the shed coop, and steps inside.

"Hello girls!" she says cheerfully. "Now we have to get the eggs." Sophia heads over to the metal nesting box in the corner. Inside, 3 hens are sitting. "Do you see these hens?" Sophia asks, picking up the Plymouth.

Collin comes from behind and takes a closer look at the nesting box, "I do."

"These are broody hens. Which basically means that they are sitting on the eggs so they hatch. The yellow one who is growling is very aggressive, so don't touch her." Sophia warns as she sets Theodore back down.

Collin looks to the yellow one, "Alright, I won't touch the yellow one. So, how do we get the eggs without... the aggressive part?"

"Well, just watch." Sophia says, as she carefully moves her hand towards The Ragged Buff. "Hi girl, I need the eggs, so just move over." Sophia says to the hen. Slowly, she grabs the eggs and puts them in her basket. "That is how." she says proudly.