This is for those of you -especially urban gardeners---who are considering back yard chickens.This Hattie Carnegie among fowl is a Golden Polish hen.  Had a Polish rooster once--a prince among  fowl. Polish chickens  have lovely dispositions. Sweet! Feather Foot never  learned to crow quite right. He produced a noise that sounded like a rusty wheel barrow and fooled a visiting fireman into thinking he was a mountain lion on the prowl. When you are less than18 inches tall--that's panache!

This month's issue of Organic Gardening has an excellent article on Backyard chickens. Look for the cover girl--an Appenzeller Spitzhauben pullet. She also wearing a chic chapeau and spangles. Project Runway, are you paying attention? This girl is a Swiss breed (Appenzell is a place, Spitzhauben means "pointed hood". Thank you W.) She lays white eggs . W avers she's "flighty", but Organic Gardening gives her a cover, so take your chances. Hand-raised chicken are extremly friendly. My bantam hen insisted on raising her progeny in a nest situated in a flowerbed right outside the backdoor. Four  German Shepherds and two cats were  going in and out all the time. The hen  liked the commotion,  the company. A Gemini, perhaps?