so i *think* today has been the last Big Adjustment for my little flock -- i moved the three orp chicks into a temporary Transit Lounge (their new family is supposed to come pick them up tomorrow), which meant i could move the two littler chicks (cream legbar & splash isbar) out of the house & into the enclosure-within-the-coop with the two basques and the other cream legbar -- although they're two weeks apart in age, they're much more similar in size -- the three orps are HUGE compared to all the other chicks, with much stronger legs -- I was afraid they could really hurt the little ones, plus they were much more spastic, the two (probably) males always bouncing around at each other -- so life is much quieter now that they're in separate quarters.
so far the chicks seem to be getting along mostly fine, except that Baby (the male basque) has been picking on the splash isbar (which is still gender unknown) a bit -- but it seems pretty mellow, and they're all in view of the Big Girls but safe from being pecked or kicked, so now everyone can settle down and adjust -- except for Baby and possibly the isbar if it turns out to be male, this is now the stable flock i'll be keeping.
and the Big Girls had a fun morning, as Ethel (one of the cuckoo marans) stole a fence lizard from my cat Henry, who was worrying it a bit -- Ethel grabbed it, ran off a little ways, and gave it a thorough shaking til it was dead, then proceeded to try to eat it while constantly running away from the other chickens (except for the sussex girls, who went after the tail). their first lizard! all very exciting. now they're all back in the coop taking a midday nap, while i head off to buy groceries.
and finally, no chickens inside my house!! *sigh of relief*