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A baby chicken (more like teenage chicken by now) felt a little too fearless and strayed way away from mama hen and the rest of the flock. To teach it a lesson (and for sport) we ran after it and caught it. It’s hard to catch these guys, they go fast and they’re small. This one hid under basil, it’s easier for us this way because you can at least get close when they think you can’t see them.

We traumatized it a little to teach it that it’s a big scary world away from the flock. First Esther petted it 6 ways to Sunday. Then we made it dance to observe its perfectly still head. That’s what happens to fearless chickens in these parts.

It’s funner to watch on a bigger chicken with a longer neck. But this still illustrates their amazing ability. That poor chicken ran back to its mom so fast when we let it :).

Sometimes life on planet Earth boils down to 2 small apes rolling on the floor laughing at poultry being made to dance by a big ape. It’s the miracle of life.

Esther is enamored with the baby chickens, but mom won’t let her get too close.

Also interesting, while the rest of the flock is usually a source of danger for young chicks. In this case, they seem to not push at all and leave mom completely in peace. Even going as far as defensively joining a ruckus we caused around the little chicks.

Kind of gets you thinking about the reputation for being dumb we give chickens so that they’re easier to justify mistreating and eating.

Tall grass & Dirt Baths, a chicken paradise.

It also looks like her big mama attitude has triggered other chickens in seeking comfort under her feathers.

The chickens were “gifted back to nature” last Winter. No egg production and a new baby in the house brought this shortcut we didn’t like taking.

I’ve updated the list of traditions and cultural artifacts I understood since moving to Vermont for the occasion. It made me understand how so many religions have the concept of sacrificing animals to deities, and the idea of offerings to gods in general. I heard the coyotes come from the next hill over the same night and rejoice at the bounty. I never had issues with coyotes, coincidence? I think not. Everything happening at night feels supernatural. It’s not the first time we take animals deep into the forest to be cleaned up, and this was likely a frequent occurrence in the lives of humans when religions popped up.

We’re populating the coop this time with Guinea Hens. Apparently they’re like guard dogs, but they also eat ticks, and snakes, and they require little feeding.

So unfortunately for them, and in the absence of snow, the fence is back and much tighter so they correct this behavior.

Go my minions, keep that grass down for me.

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With chickens