Dear Hens

I thought we had a deal.

I provide you with grain, water, and tasty treats like apple cores, potato peelings, and garden leftovers. Rather than keeping you cooped up, I allow you to roam the pastures and investigate the barn.

In return, I want eggs.

There are 14 of you. I think it's reasonable to expect more than one egg a day.

You say it gets dark early. That it's cold. That you want to hibernate.

So do I. But I still feed you, provide you with fresh water, keep you safe from predators.

Lately, though, I've been dreaming of chicken soup.

You may want to have a meeting.

Surely you could double your production, maybe triple it.

Then, I could dream of egg drop soup.