I started 10 Pioneers last spring. Held back one pretty little female. She was my first pullet to lay last year, and has been an extremely dependable layer of very large eggs. The only disappointment I have in her is that she seems to have poor feather quality... but then again, Jack is very fond of her. She has light green legs. And I've noticed that every single chick that hatched this season with the same color legs has been a pullet. I'm guessing they're all her daughters. Nice looking birds, every one of them. I'm hoping that her daughters have better quality feathers. If not, they'll be culled before egg set next spring.
Proud Chicken Mama moment tonight. I've been keeping broody and her chicks in the tractor during the day, unless I can be out to supervise, b/c there is way too much hawk activity, and a recent fox siting on my property. This evening, she was pacing in front of the tractor door, obviously asking to be let out. Some of the birds were heading in to bed, so I figured I'd humor her, let her out of the tractor and see what she'd do. She called all the babies out, and made a bee line for the coop. Babies had never climbed the steps before. No doubt they could, b/c they are 3 weeks old! But... it was a new experience for them, so they had to stand around and discuss it until one of them (perhaps his name should be Mikey!) decided to try it. They finally all jumped up into the coop... then came the discussion of where to sleep. Mama thought a top nest box would be nice. Babies were having none of that. So, she offered bottom bunk. Again, not many takers. So she gave up and took them into the cat crate in the broody pen. One step closer to complete integration with this little family. It's been difficult b/c she's low gal on the pecking order.
Proud Chicken Mama moment tonight. I've been keeping broody and her chicks in the tractor during the day, unless I can be out to supervise, b/c there is way too much hawk activity, and a recent fox siting on my property. This evening, she was pacing in front of the tractor door, obviously asking to be let out. Some of the birds were heading in to bed, so I figured I'd humor her, let her out of the tractor and see what she'd do. She called all the babies out, and made a bee line for the coop. Babies had never climbed the steps before. No doubt they could, b/c they are 3 weeks old! But... it was a new experience for them, so they had to stand around and discuss it until one of them (perhaps his name should be Mikey!) decided to try it. They finally all jumped up into the coop... then came the discussion of where to sleep. Mama thought a top nest box would be nice. Babies were having none of that. So, she offered bottom bunk. Again, not many takers. So she gave up and took them into the cat crate in the broody pen. One step closer to complete integration with this little family. It's been difficult b/c she's low gal on the pecking order.
