Hens Don't Have Calendars

When a hen nestled onto her nest of eggs last month, I marked the date on the calendar.

In approximately 21 days, I expected her to emerge from her nest with chicks.

That was if the eggs were fertilized.

I didn't know if the eggs were fertilized. Neither did she.

The hen can't count. Her mother never told her the incubation period for chicks is 21 days.

It's been 26 days now.

She still sits on her two eggs under the tree, waiting for cheeping sounds that will not come.