No, Rocket, no!

I'm learning a lot about pecking order, who has it and who doesn't. It is obvious that Rocket is the leader of the flock. She is first one to jet out of the coop in the morning and the one to begin the bedtime parade at night. It's always her, always the same formation, definitely Rocket has the highest pecking order. Rosie follows, then a few more (not yet named) and finally Rebella finishes off the drill. It never varies.

Rocket is both smart and fast. Today I was planting birdcage gourd seeds alongside the chicken wire in hopes that they would grow and entwine and thus cover up some of the mesh. Rocket was inside the pen, watching me. I dug a little hole, dropped in a seed, reached for my trowel to cover the seed -- too late -- Rocket had already reached through the chicken wire and scarfed up the seed. The stakes were already against me -- it's late in the season, but worth a try since we grow things until early December.

Well, we're gonna be one seed short this year, that's all I can say.