Chicken update

I took the front off of Mama Hen's brooder box a couple days ago and let her and her chicks have free range of the shed - it was the only way I could put their water where the chicks could reach it and Mama couldn't bury it in chips! Today the sun was shining (though it's still cold) so I opened the door and let her bring them out into the sunshine for a bit. (the pictures are blurry because I was taking them from the deck of the house with my longest telephoto lens, and that STILL made Mama nervous and she decided to take them back inside to get away from my prying eyes)

I also removed the front of the brooder for the older chicks, and let them move around the shed. Of course they have led a sheltered life, so it was all very scary for them! (ignore that poopy water, it gets changed twice a day - messy birds!)

 I let the hens into the shed as well so they could go through to the backyard. They stopped to steal the chicks food and hang out, giving the chicks their first look at what they would grow up to be someday!

 

Fluffy butt! That's Beautiful, my super-friendly chicken.

Last week I gave Handsome the Rooster away. Once he had the flock to himself and the other roo was gone, he became very mean to the hens. He would chase them down, corner them, jump on them and rip at their neck feathers. They were all looking frazzled and hiding in the coop to get away from him. I put him on CL for free and he was gone within a day. The girls have been much happier and more relaxed without him around!

 

Enjoying the sunshine in the tall grass

Mama hen decided to move into the main coop area, and took her chicks to dig out a comfy corner.

I think she'll take care of them just fine.

_