Yesterday we had a chance to hang out with all the chickens for quite a while, observing their individual and social behavior. The five little ones have adapted to free ranging in the yard amazingly quickly and well. They still need to dodge and avoid several hens near the bottom of the existing order, mainly Kara and Coco, who both occasionally peck or briefly chase the little ones. The chicks have expanded their range a little each day, and they know where all the water sources and hiding places are.

After reading various online reviews, I was a little worried that Amy, the Cream Legbar, would turn out to be flighty, skittish, and unfriendly, as some other people reported. But in our experience, a chicken’s basic personality features show up within the first week or two, and if anything, Amy has been more friendly and cuddly than average. She loves to be held, to stretch her neck out across one’s arm, and to be rubbed on her back and belly. Here are a few snapshots of Naomi helping Amy take a nap.