Confounded by Sicilian buttercup chicks shunning their heat cave

[BigBlueHen53]

Deer?

 

[azygous]

Yes, deer are a permanent fixture around my place, and they do practice being stupid diligently until they get stupid just exactly right.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ah I see. I know there are deer all around us and we see them occasionally. There are hunters all around us so they are very wary.

 

[azygous]

Tonight as roosting time neared, there was a strange absence of Buttercups. They and the rest of the flock had been free-ranging all day. I finished up scooping the run, checked the front coop, then peeked through the window of the coop where the chicks roost, looked underneath both coops, went around and checked the rear rooster run, and no chicks. Then I heard the muffled chirping, opened the door of the rooster coop section and there they were.

It reminds me of when I was around three and spending a few days at my grandmother's. Both my younger sister and I used to wander off and get lost since my grandma had a very lax parenting style. I found myself in the wrong house, and wondered what ever could have happened to change my grandma's house, and where was my grandma, anyway?

I can only imagine how confused my little Buttercups were. But they seemed relieved to be found and were happy to stay when I placed them on the perch in their coop section.

 

[tripletfeb]

I love how you can see their little combs developing so early! Other combs are just blah on chicks but you can really tell the difference on these!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You and your sister were free rangers.

 

[azygous]

Yes, we were. But we would go in separate directions. That made things even more interesting.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

My twin brother and I were, too. In a big city. But we had each other and he could not get away from me. Well, until we reached our teens and he filed for a divorce, lol.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Azygous, since your first post when your Buttercups refused their heat cave, they have reminded me of a group of broody-hatched chicks i had one summer.

When chicks reach age 6 weeks or so, I pull the broodys and return them to their flock. Usually on chicks' first night without mom, they chirp and cry and carry on, and continue to sleep in their nest box for a while longer. But not this one group of chicks. Near dusk on their very first night alone, i discovered them all quietly perched up on their roost, looking very smug and proud of themselves. If i could have had a conversation with them in English, i imagine it would have been the following:

Them. "Yeah..... We are big chickens now."

Me: (As i smiled in amusement) "Yall are precocious little munchkins is what you are."

Them: "No we're not. We are BIG precocious munchkins!!"

I have noticed the Buttercups' direct gaze & fearless look in some of the photos you've posted. Combined with their described behaviors, it is clear to me you've got yourself a pair of BIG precocious munchkins!

 

[azygous]

Update in honor of the buttercups turning eight weeks.

Nanny Millie still permits the chicks to consort with her. No signs of her getting tired of them.

Party frocks for every day wear.

They seem to know they are quite lovely.