Chicken Update

It's official: Sadie and I adore the chickens. You might think we're crazy, and 7 months ago I never would have guessed, but it's true, we're head over heals in love with these girls. We've been letting them out every day for a little free-range pecking. It's crazy how good they are at staying in the yard (ok, they do visit Jeff's yard too) and staying together. If one girl gets separated from the others she squawks as loud as she can until she finds the others or until Sadie goes out and scoops her up and carries her to the others. Mabel and Penny easily allow Sadie to pick them up, Brownie and Annie are a little more reluctant, but they're realizing that she's not so bad!
They all come running to me as soon as I say "come on girls" and they follow me back to their coop to be locked in. I love watching their little legs run. Sometimes they even manage to fly a few feet if they're really excited to see me and can't get to me fast enough.
The cat is only slightly curious and if she gets too close they all flap their wings at her and she runs away. We did see a family of raccoons out one night and we ran out as fast as we could to chase them off before they found the girls.
Penelope, Brownie and Mabel are laying but Annie just poops in her nesting box, the crazy girl. We're hoping soon. I can even tell which eggs belong to which chicken. Brownies are shaped like a torpedo, very long and lean. Mabel's are more stout and egg-shaped. Penny's are the biggest. I'm curious if Annie lays white eggs because she's all white or if hers will be pale blue/green like the rest?
It's starting to get cold and the days are getting short. It will be interesting to see how their patterns change during the winter season and how they tolerate the cold.