Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me

This spring, I was out in the yard where we have a couple "trees" I have to use the term "trees" in quotes because our trees are mostly small, and sparse. We live in a bean field that has soil with clay like tendencies so all our "trees" are quite small save one.

Out near the chicken coop, there are two trees, they actually look a lot more like bushes than trees. One kinda fluffy and wind blown to the north, and the other very scraggly. I'm sure both have seen better days. These 2 trees are on the other acre that we just let grow because we don't know what to do with it at the moment.

The tree has low branches, and the chickens like to hang out underneath of it. I thought this was very odd. Sometimes they'll jump up in the low branches and sit. I like to think they are pretending they are chicken hawks - you know, to scare all their friends.

"Bwhahahaha.. I'm a chicken Hawk. I'm gonna eat your eyes out!"

"Cluck"

Well, this spring for some reason I was out there (which I usually am not) and a pink flash caught my eye. What in the world? That looks kinda like...
Yes.. I think it is...

I check the internet because the interwebz is all knowing.

Yep.. It's an apple blossom.

No way! I have 2 apple trees!

Two very very poorly neglected apple trees. I had no idea. I thought they were crappy tree wanna be bushes. Knock me over with a peach pit. Or a apple seed or something.

So I did some research to see when I should be planning on doing some trimming, see if I can talk these trees into being... well... trees. Planning ahead a bit you know, for my bumper apple crop 4 years from now. In the meantime, the chickens hang out in the shade, looking for bugs, do the happy chicken dance and such.

About 2 weeks ago, Tanner comes in and said that when he was out mowing, something fell right out of that tree and landed next to the mower. It was an....

apple!!

Poor pitiful singular apple struggling to make it in this big bad world.
ONE.
UNO.

Then it dawned on me.

I wonder if THAT'S WHY all those chickens hang out there! *slaps forehead* Like.. duh. Full inspection revealed no more apples. Just the one. But I have my eye on that black speckled chicken.

Or that one..
Wait.. it was that one.

DOH!!

Regardless, all that chicken poop is going to make for some great apples next year.
Or apple - singular.