Bath Time

This week has been a crazy week for weather.  Tuesday was gorgeous with a high in the low 70's.  Tonight we are suppose to dip down into the upper 20's.  I was really enjoying the extended warm weather, and so were the girls.  While the weather was warm, I took full advantage of my time by cleaning out the chicken coop, even washing the window! It's amazing how much better you can see through a clean window.

I also washed the windows on my house.  Just the ones I could reach outside.  The inside will have to wait. While in a cleaning mood, I raked some foliage from the yard, and tore out the cherry tomato tree growing next to the coop.  And yes, I said tree.  That was no ordinary tomato plant.  It spanned at least 8 feet tall.  I have never seen a tomato plant grow that large.  That says nothing for the stalk left in the ground I didn't have the strength to pull.  I'm thinking it needs to be chained to the back of a truck to pull it out.  Well maybe not, but it sure sounds fun to do.

I had just given the younger chickens a bath last week and already the white ones were in need of another one.  This time they knew what they were in for, and weren't as cooperative. They do look pretty all cleaned up.  If only it would last more than a couple days.  They like to walk over each other and leave footprint marks on one another.
 

Snowflake

Lilly the Leghorn

Red

Lilly is still a lot smaller than the others.  Red takes advantage of that fact and picks at her constantly. She has become the warden of the coop. She will walk back and forth on the perch each night and push each one of them off until they give up perching.  Lilly acts afraid to eat if Red is around.  Red seems to like to torment her for enjoyment.  Most days I go outside and let the older ones out to run in the yard so the younger ones can run freely in the run.  Lilly always heads for the food.  She's a real sweetie.  Just as she did when she was a few days old, she will still let you hold her and sit on your hand, while the others would rather try to escape.

Ginger, Amber, and Licorice

Miss Tail Feathers

The younger chickens haven't realized they are just as big and even bigger than the older girls.  They still let the older ones intimidate them.  They try their best to stay out of the way while the others rule below.  With colder weather coming, they are going to have to learn to coexist being "cooped" up more.