Back in the saddle

All your kind condolences on the loss of the chicks were so appreciated!!! I still miss them. Saturday we received a call from a friend from church. He's the landscaping/agriculture man at the local career center and he had four young laying hens and a bunny to place ASAP since school was coming to an end. So, Mark bought the whole kit and caboodle, popped them on the trailer he uses to haul his mowing equipment to jobs and headed for home. Poor hens. They look like they've been dragged through a knothole. Apparently they spent some time with an aggressive rooster who thought they'd look more attractive with large bald patches on their backs. Really hoping those feathers grow back. :~) They are a haggard bunch. Anyway, they are completely enclosed in a wire pen, bullet-proof compared to what my little pullets were in, so I feel sure they will 'thrive and flourish like the green olive tree'. And they've forgiven dh for that dreadful ride through town and given us four eggs already. Our friend also threw in half a dozen extra tomato plants that he had. So, now I'm completely overrun with tomatoes-and after all my promises to not have so many this year! And I even gave some away!
My oldest promptly named one of the hens, Josefina. While I think that is a fine name for a chicken, I really think that particular one is Mrs. Hammond. Perhaps I can convince him to choose another of the bunch to call Josefina. If any of you can remember where the character Mrs. Hammond is found, I will send you a TREAT.