Harrier

Went to check on Russell and Donna's chickens tonight.  Donna had walked me through how to care for them earlier in the week.  Seemed simple enough.  I brought down my garbage pail of kitchen scraps and went out into their yard, dumped it, and called for the chickens.  They came out, following the cautious rooster, and soon were scratching, pecking, and making happy chicken noises.  One of the joys of life is watching happy chickens.  When I turned to go back inside, the rooster was barring my way and it was apparent that, w/o Donna, he was not about to let me back in the hen house.  I put out a leg to push him aside and he jumped up attacking w/ his clawed legs.  That wasn't going to work.  So I pushed my garbage pail in front of me and let him attack that; which he did w/ great vigor.  He is a good protector of his harem - though I would have thought my gift of garbage would have bought me some goodwill.