I was away at a conference this weekend. I was gone for just an overnight, but the days were so jam-packed, and my head was so filled with conversations and things to think about, that it felt as if I’d been away for weeks. When I came home, I looked out at the Old Girls’ pen, saw this and thought I must have been away for as long as it felt.

There was Betsy, saying good-night to Pip. But, something about her stance didn’t look right. A closer look revealed that it was one of the Delaware chicks talking with her goat-friend. The chick was as large as Betsy!

Only two days away and I no longer had babies in the pen, instead there were birds that looked fully feathered and that were only slightly smaller versions of their mature selves! This morning when I went out to care for the animals the temperature hadn’t even reached 40 degrees F. Cold. Some of the chicks were sleeping under the heat lamp, but many were not. I have the brooder door open to the Big Girls’ side, and some chicks were already in the coop. Their sturdy, glossy outer feathers were keeping them warm. They no longer need the protection of the brooder except during the coldest hours of the night. I opened the pop door and they hurried outside. Two chicks have already learned how to sit together on the roost! It’s a good thing that I have plenty of room, as there is some chest bumping, and ruffled feathers and arched neck challenges as the chicks sort out who they are as they grow up. But the tiffs don’t turn into anything serious because there are enough resources to share and because they have the space to communicate and then move away from each other. (Is there a lesson here for us humans? Likely so.)

The chicks that I’m not keeping for myself and for the nursing home will be ready to go to new owners in two weeks. I will be selling twelve pullets. $20 each. I will sell all to one person, or will divide into two groups. They will not be sold singly. Preference is given to those who have taken my chicken keeping workshop (or coming to the one in June) but I’ll consider other homes. Email me if interested.

Laying hen pellets should never be fed to chicks because there is too much calcium in the ration, and too little protein. (For more about what to feed chicks see this post.) So, now that the little ones are out with the Big Girls, they’re all getting the chick crumbles. (The hens have access to calcium via oyster shell in a dispenser that is out of reach of the chicks.) I’ve put a feeder out in the run because I want the chicks to eat all day, and I didn’t think that they’d go inside to their brooder to find food frequently enough.

What I didn’t realize was how delighted the Old Girls would be at this easy to reach food.

What gluttons they would be.

What total hogs. I’ve never seen them eat so frequently, or so much. Even Betsy, who is not much larger than the chicks, ward offs all newcomers.

But don’t worry about the chicks. They’ve figured out what to do. They found the Old Girls’ feeder.

When the Gems first began to lay eggs, I kept them in the coop and enclosed run, so that they would learn to lay their eggs in the nesting boxes. It worked. Today I let the hens free-range. Jasper needed to lay an egg. She left the green grass and sunshine, hurried inside, left an egg in the nesting box, and then trotted back outside.

But there’s always one in the bunch who is too busy,

and having too much fun,

and so does this.

The chicks spent a couple of days of exploring the larger indoor space of the coop. At just over 4 weeks of age, their hard outer feathers were growing in. The weather warmed up. A breeze, if there was one at all, was gentle. It was time for the chicks to go outside. I put the Old Girls in the goat paddock where they could see the chicks, but not physically interact. I opened up the pop-door. The chicks peered out. They scurried back into the safety of the brooder. They came back into the larger coop. No one was going to be the first brave chick to go outside, and so I picked up a couple of chicks and set them down on the ramp. They looked around, amazed at the sunshine and then sallied forth. I sent them all out to see the great, wide world.

As hesitant as they were to go into the unknown, they quickly became enthusiastic explorers.

They scaled the compost mountain and spread out across this new terrain.

I put food and water within reach, as chicks have to eat and drink frequently, and I didn’t think they’d be able to find their way back to the brooder. Also, like children at a playground, they needed a reminder to stay hydrated. Their familiar water dispenser would do that. Despite the excitement, their appetites remained intact.

Buffy watched, briefly,

but was soon bored by the chicks and spent companionable time in the shade with her friends.

The chicks soon became comfortable enough to preen,

and dust bathe. This Buff Orpington found a dust wallow in the corner.

Unfortunately for her, the other chicks decided to join her. She’s under that pile, but no worse for the company.

The chicks tasted new things,

ran, scratched, and dozed off in the sun. So mature at only 30 days old! But, still quite a bit of growing left to do.

It was a late spring here, but this week has more than made up for it. Perfect blue-sky weather. Buds are greening up. Flowers are unfurling. In the springtime, the prettiest tree in my yard is the Hally Jolivette Cherry. It’s moment of glory is ephemeral. The blossoms blow off in the slightest wind. But it’s been calm. It’s been sunny. There’s something both elegant and happy about this tree. It’s what a wedding gown should look like.

Here is a view across the pond. (Do you see the Beast in the foreground?)

Walk closer and this is what you’ll see. Such delicate white blooms with hints of pink and yellow. This photo doesn’t show the bees, but bees there are!

Hally Jolivette Cherry

Get as close as you can and look at the details.

This was a springtime worth waiting for.