Cock up

 So after wondering about it for weeks, trying to convince ourselves that hens have head and chin gear like this too, we are forced to concede that Chimples is a he.  The kicker was that he has started to crow in the morning.  The first time it happened I thought it was one of the cats because it is still a bit weedy and more like a bleat than a crow, but he does it every morning now, and we've actually seen him do it.  Jami is stubbornly insisting that our neighbors won't object.  That remains to be seen.

 However, he is certainly an endearing character.  He follows us around and likes to be picked up.

 He's a lap chicken.