The Inevitable

I was cleaning the coop this morning and I swear I heard this conversation going on between my two oldest hens. One was in a nesting box and one was pacing back and forth in front of her in a clucking frenzy.

"Well, there you are Edith, what on earth are you doing? I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I'm right here Missy, I've been here for quite a while now."

" What in the world are you doing anyway?"

"What do you think I'm doing, I'm laying an egg. The farmer's wife would be so happy to see one of my big eggs. Between you and me though, I'm having a bit of trouble. Its not like it used to be, and those last eggs I laid were wrinkled and thin."

" And that's not all, I could swear that some of my feathers are a little dull and my underfluff is not as full and fluffy as it used to be, I actually thought I saw a gray feather the other day."

Missy, paced back and forth almost tripping herself before she clucked.

"Between you and me, I haven't laid an egg in weeks, and my middle is getting wider. I've tried to cut down on the farmer's snacks, but it doesn't seem to help. If I'm honest I am a bit frustrated myself."

"What shall we do Missy?'

"Well Edith, I'm trying to accept the inevitable, I think our egg sacs are finally empty. It's got something to do with our age. So I'm trying to be thankful."

"Thankful for what Missy? How can we be thankful for getting old and fat?"

" I'm Thankful for all those beautiful eggs I did lay. I'm Thankful I'm still here. I'm Thankful for this beautiful day. I call it Aging with A Good Attitude."

"WucBuck, buck, buck, buck," clucked Edith. Come on Missy, we still have legs, lets go scratch us a hole and enjoy the fall breeze."

The two old hens left the coop together, clucking in harmony.
On my way out the door, I checked the nesting box. No egg.
I had to smile, I had heard right.