MollySunshine
Chirping
Hello BYC'ers. I wanted a place to talk about my chickies with others who are like minded. I am new to raising chickens and am learning quite a bit from reading posts throughout this forum. I would like you to meet Molly Sunshine. She is my Buff Orpington and the only one of my chickies with a name. In comparison to my other buff's, she's quite small. I do believe she's a she. She's 14 weeks old and a real sweet bird.
I want to share a story with all of you. Yesterday was the second time chickies free ranged. The first time, I lured them in the coop before it began to get dark. Yesterday, I let them enter the coop at dusk on their own. I witnessed quite an amazing act. Prior to entering the run there was quite a bit of posturing. No actual chest pumping but feathers and chests flared. I'm not certain what this was all about and perhaps one of the more seasoned owners can explain this to me. One by one they entered the coop until all were in. Now here's the amazing part....I assume it was #1 RIR rooster and RIR hen followed by a male bantam, exited the run. The RIR rooster and hen stared down the bantam and he walked back into the coop. Then the RIR rooster and hen proceeded to walk the length of the run checking to see if all were in. The hen went in and the rooster once again checked the area before he went inside the coop. This to me was amazing! I went in and told my husband what just occurred. I had no clue they did this!!! Today I let them free range again and once again the ritual began. The same 3 birds exited the run after all had entered the coop. The male bantam came out for a short period of time but it was the RIR rooster and hen who performed the perimeter check. The hen went in, the rooster double checked the area, then went inside the coop. So i guess this really is the ritual that they will do and it wasn't a fluke last night.
Here are a couple of other pictures. Molly sunshine and a male bantam and a RIR basking in the sunshine....in the summertime (that tune came to mind).
I want to share a story with all of you. Yesterday was the second time chickies free ranged. The first time, I lured them in the coop before it began to get dark. Yesterday, I let them enter the coop at dusk on their own. I witnessed quite an amazing act. Prior to entering the run there was quite a bit of posturing. No actual chest pumping but feathers and chests flared. I'm not certain what this was all about and perhaps one of the more seasoned owners can explain this to me. One by one they entered the coop until all were in. Now here's the amazing part....I assume it was #1 RIR rooster and RIR hen followed by a male bantam, exited the run. The RIR rooster and hen stared down the bantam and he walked back into the coop. Then the RIR rooster and hen proceeded to walk the length of the run checking to see if all were in. The hen went in and the rooster once again checked the area before he went inside the coop. This to me was amazing! I went in and told my husband what just occurred. I had no clue they did this!!! Today I let them free range again and once again the ritual began. The same 3 birds exited the run after all had entered the coop. The male bantam came out for a short period of time but it was the RIR rooster and hen who performed the perimeter check. The hen went in, the rooster double checked the area, then went inside the coop. So i guess this really is the ritual that they will do and it wasn't a fluke last night.
Here are a couple of other pictures. Molly sunshine and a male bantam and a RIR basking in the sunshine....in the summertime (that tune came to mind).