The Pecking Order

Now that the chickens are happily established in their new home and feeling safe, they are beginning to show the traits of their personalities even more.  Stella, the bad girl of the bunch, runs at Bella, the quiet unassuming sweetheart of the three. Stella puffs up her feathers, lengthens her already long neck, and stares Bella down with her beady little eyes.  Stella has begun jumping at or over Bella pouncing on her with those big leathery feet. I chase that bad girl away and give her hell, wagging my finger at her as she runs away from my scolding. Bella usually just walks away but lately she has been standing up for herself, likewise puffing out her feathers and squawking back at Stella which seems to back her down.  Stella doesn't try this with Raquel, perhaps because she is the biggest of my mini flock.  This all surprises me because anytime some sound or movement alarms the chickens, Stella is the one who runs and hides behind the other two.  When they go up to their roost at night, Stella crawls in and over the other two completely hiding herself as the other two keep watch for the night.  Chicken!

Moving Day

Bella & Stella

Raquel

It was the topsy-turvy event the chickens had with my Dad and the fact I was cleaning their box out nearly twice a day that determined it was time to move the foul fowl out to larger quarters.  The lovely red-painted triangular coop had been set up on sandy ground in the backyard, edged in bricks (so no predators could dig underneath) and covered with a fresh bed of pine shavings and straw.  A stone path led to the door, a small solar-powered light had been staked into the ground nearby (a chicken night lite?) and an overturned metal milk crate left out so I could sit nearby to keep them company; the only things missing...Stella, Bella and Raquel!  I carefully carried their box out from the house placing it by the door to their new home.  One by one I lifted my chickies out of their tiny confines into their roomy new digs and quickly shut the door.  Peeping and squawking they spread their wings, ran then flew from one end of the coop to the other checking out their open space.  The girls (mostly led by Stella) chased each other in circles around the ramp that led to the roosting space but did not venture up to the new height.  I set them up with their water and food then sat down to watch them play.  After an hour or two...maybe three of being mesmerized by their hysterical antics I decided I had to get something else done!  It was hard to leave them outside by themselves.  These were my babies and this felt a little like taking my now adult children to their first day of Kindergarten. They were growing up. I hated to admit it but I think moving day was harder on me than the chickens.