Houston, we have a problem.

Last night we decided to watch the movie Signs. You know, the Mel Gibson/alien movie. We also had iced coffees (decaf w/ stevia) and chocolate chip cookies (real sugar, real butter) to go with the movie. That wasn't the best combo for a restful nights sleep. The movie was a little much for the kids so they had a camp out in the living room and watched Night at the Museum to clear their petrified, alien invaded imaginations while Evelyn and I twitched and kicked in bed till 1am (after effects of cookies before bed) and Jeff, of coarse, slept like a baby. Now, here comes the problem. Remember how I told you we have city chickens? Part of that deal is that you can have hens but not roosters. They tend to be too noisy for most neighbors at the crack of dawn. Well, at exactly 6:11 am this morning, after what felt like only a few minutes sleep for everyone (but Jeff,) this lovely lady began crowing! We always thought she was a little bossy toward the other girls but assumed it was because she was the biggest hen with the fullest tail and the longest feathers and the tallest comb etc. etc... Nope, it's because she's a he. Once he started crowing this morning he didn't stop until everyone of his wives and concubines dragged their sleepy selves out of bed and got to work peckin' and scratchin' at the ground. Then he took about a ten minute break before he started crowing again! What to do, what to do... My great grandma would have marched right out to the coop, grabbed him by the neck and started swinging him over her head for all she was worth and grandpa Barbee would have probably gone after him with an axe or something. I just don't think I have any of that in me. Like most of my generation, I guess I'm too soft. We're going to see if we can come up with a good way to get the chickens out to the land a.s.a.p. We can't be there every day to feed and water them so to do it will take some planning. In the meantime, we may have to duct tape his beak every night before bed or something. Anybody have a more realistic temporary solution??? We'd like to keep him if we can but he might have to be put on Craig's list before too long.