chicken run

Mama Hen has done her job. She has trained her chicks and tended to them beautifully. She defended them with every fiber of her being. I saw it. As a good mama should. She showed them what to eat and how to enjoy a dust bath, eat bugs and food scraps and where to drink. Who to run off and who to run to for help.
I've noticed the past few days how she had been leaving without them, and not responding to them real quick when they would call out to her. She would stand back and watch and see what they did. Then yesterday she officially kicked them out of the nest. She runs them off to eat on their own. She ignores them and will have nothing to do with them. She won't let them roost with her. The babies seemed to be at a loss yesterday too. Plus with the down poring of rain we had they hid most of the day. Then this morning she chased them off so she could eat, and wouldn't let them have any. While I was feeding the other animals this morning I noticed that the chicks were running after me hollering as if to adopt me as the new "mama." I resemble food apparently. So I fed my new babies and they happily ate, and let me feed the other animals. DaLaney was greatly concerned about Mama Hen's attitude to her babies and questioned it. I gently told her that this was her instinct to make them be independent and that they were old enough to take care of themselves. I said that she might want to be laying eggs again, and she knows that this is what she needs to do. Her babies are grown, and that she has done a beautiful job of raising them. Granted they are only 7 weeks old there about. But her instinct had been amazing to watch. She was raised with a light in a box, not by a natural mother. I find it simply amazing how her instinct kicked in and she knew what to do for her babies. I'm simply amazed at creation.
So here is a today picture of my new charges.  I think they are kinda cute, kinda ugly, but I'll keep 'em. At least the hens, the roosters will have to exit the farm. I think there are two roosters. But that is just a guess. I'm hoping for 3 hens that would be really cool!

 I thought this was too funny! This little chick wants my job of mowing the lawn!! hahaha. Actually I think this is one of  the roosters, due to a huge comb and wattles compared to the others is what I'm judging it by. I don't know how to tell the sex of a chicken!

Looking at me expecting something. Like wheres the food? They followed me all over until I gave them some food away from Mama Hen. This is the one that was on the lawn mower.

Here are my little charges. Happily eating the grain I gave them away from Mama Hen. It's been raining for about 3 days here and everything is muddy. Kind of an interesting combo, New Hampshire Red with Silver Laced Whyendott.

Here is Mama Hen. She's wonderful and beautiful in all her mama glory!  I think I will protest a great deal if My Man wants to get rid of her. I kinda have a spot for her now. Maybe it's a mommy thing, I don't know. I hope she starts to lay again, and stays a while longer on our farm. She'll always be called "mama" now.

Have a great day all!!