Oiseaux Tableaux

The Famous  Five.  These didn’t grow up together (different Silkie moms), but they have found each other.  They clearly share genes.  These are the smallest of the free chicks (they grow up so fast!), and they’re very adventurous.

There once was  a time when chickens perching  in low branches was a novelty.  Now it’s de rigeur.  The tweens.  At least one of these culprits is starting to practice his crowing.  Little Pepper is still in this mix despite getting quickly outgrown (Silkie/Barred cross) by the big Chanticleers.

Inky, Velvet, and Speckles, utilizing my recent brush pile.  And Cleopatra begat Inky and Velvet; Speckles is a Silkie cross – possibly with Puffcheeks?

On the ground level of Silkieland, Daisy the digger and her chicks just moved up to the  big house.  The chicks can leak out in various ways.  The run is not a secure facility, just intended to give the hens some peace from the roosters, who spend the day on the outside of the fence, and are allowed back in at night.  The hens preen and take dust baths and lie around in the sun, or the shade, and the roos bob around looking and not touching, and it drives them wild!

The chicks are better at getting out than back in.  Daisy is watching over them, but the roosters are into chicks too.  The Colonel especially likes when there’s new chicks to show off his old tricks.  Even when chickens are good, they don’t come close to guineas in the co-parenting department though.  You’ll see a rooster sharing food and skills, but not sheltering chicks.   This guy’s a rock star:

Galahad hosting perching practice on the rim of Silkieland. 

Uhoh.  Somebody jumped into a vacant chickery and isn’t clever enough to get out!