TheCoop

The ladies spent a good portion of the day outside today. They have grown so much in just the last week! Libby finally has a real tail and Bell's is finally starting to come in. It won't be long until they are fully feathered. As a treat for all of their exercise today they got a protein-packed evening snack. That's right, larvae!

Another rainy day means no time outside. Turns out that corn on the cob was a huge hit and kept them entertained for quite a while. Cooperative deconstruction is the name of this game.

The ladies have just returned to the brooder and have discovered that there's new bedding. Fun!

We learned that chickens can eat wood sorrel (Oxalis) today and the ladies are definitely fans. There's a good amount growing around a tree in the front yard so they will get more over the coming days.

The ladies spent most of the day outside today but it was hot! They were definitely ready to return to the brooder and are enjoying a light treat after resting.

It's a hot humid day and the ladies aren't going outside due to threatening weather. This makes them restless so they're having a protein snack to keep them busy for a little while. Some of them would still rather be outside though and show me by lining up on the brooder wall.

As popular as grapes among the ladies. Their first taste of cherries and there's no doubt that these are tied with grapes for second place among the treat rankings.

The ladies were excited for some interaction this evening. This has to be a record number that assembled when we visited. To reinforce the behavior we'll give them their favorite snack. :-)

Being outside and cantaloupe are two of the ladies favorite things. And it shows.

It was overcast and rainy today so the ladies have been hanging out in their brooder. Some lettuce is a good way to provide them with a healthy distraction. Yummy!

The ladies spent several hours outside in the chunnel today. While they were away we changed out all of the shavings. They seem to appreciate them and have been scratching away for the last 30 minutes.

The ladies had their second outing in the chunnel this morning. They've really enjoyed the last couple of hours but it's getting hot. Time to get back to the brooder and relax.

The ladies finished their first bag of BSF larvae this morning. They are so content when they are foraging. It's hard to believe that they are just over four weeks old. They look completely different today. Except Libby. She still has her uniquely puffy cheeks and is the primary focus around the one minute mark.

The ladies tried some more this morning. It's not their least favorite treat but it's definitely not grapes!

The ladies warmed up to the cantaloupe about 10 minutes after filming but they were much more interested in my arm hairs at first.

The ladies had their first outdoor experience today. 12/10 it was amazing and they would definitely recommend. Shout out to Harley and Meghan for their expert chicken handling skills.

So much happiness, so many chases. A definite keeper.

The ladies enjoy some greens before bedtime. They got some new bedding today as well. Lana is still pecking but less than yesterday. We're hoping that some regular foraging opportunities will keep her distracted.

Today was more stressful than normal. We have a Noir Maran (Lana) that is pulling on feathers and making her sisters quite unhappy. We separated her for a while today just to give the others a rest and have been intervening when necessary. Thankfully Beatrice and Martha only put up with so much before they put her in her place but Libby, Stella, and Simone are all bearing the brunt of Lana's baditude. We gave them carrots in an attempt to provide some distraction but they weren't a big hit. So the old standby of mealworms was used and they ate them right up!

Why yes they are.

Seeing how the ladies enjoyed spinach the other day, we thought they might enjoy something similar. Needless to say, it was a huge hit.

The ladies are actively seeking to broaden their horizons. Every interaction is a potential opportunity to see "The Beyond" for the four most adventurous. To that point, Beatrice made it to the floor outside the brooder today. One moment she was picking at my arm hairs and the next she was on the floor. She was very proud of this achievement and quite vocal about her forced return to the brooder.

We put wall extensions on the brooder today. These are a huge improvement over the boards and they provide better ventilation. Most importantly, the ladies can see more of the outside world. The ladies got all new bedding today and are loving having new things to scratch through. We laid down some grit first at the suggestion of an expert chicken farmer. It's like a little treasure every time they discover a piece!