New perch

The little chicks have learned that the board going across the middle of their pen is a place to perch. It is about a foot off the ground and they fly up to it. I have considered putting a ramp up to the perch, but haven't decided whether they need it. If I put one up now for the low perch I will have to put one up for the permanent higher perch. I am concerned that if a predator were to get into the pen it could walk right up to the perch and grab a chicken. As it is they are safe on the roosts with no access except for flying. I have not seen rats or racoons fly so they cannot get onto the perches. Of course I have seen none of these rodents near the pen because our laborator retriever's bed is close by. She would set off a ruckus if they approached. This would alert us and we could take care of the problem. More later.

The chicks are doing great outside.

The little birds seem to be very happy to be able to be in the sunshine outside. I worried about them a little bit at first because the nights were still chilly. I hoped they would have enough sense to huddle together for warmth and they did. I would check on them every few hours to make sure they all had gone into their little houses. I guess I would have put more heat sources out there for them if they looked cold. They are starting to eat clover leaves. I pull some every day and throw it into the pen. They just looked at it at first, but then they got curious. After a few started pecking at it, they all got interested and had to check it out. The big chickens look at them through the chicken wire and I don't know what they think about it. I am sure they don't remember being chicks and doing the same thing. I think they just see the water dish and want to get a drink instead of going to their own dish which is about 4 feet away. Lazy birdies.