Things You Learn from your Mom

One of the greatest delights in the whole process of having chickens has been watching the mother hen interact with the chicks. This relationship has a sweetness that gets me every time.

 

Sue is a really good momma.  She watches out for the chicks every step of the way, teaching them to forage, how to scratch, dustbathe, and all the skills it takes to be a good chicken.

When the chicks get tired, she cuddles up with them.  If it’s sunny and warm, they’ll lie next to her in the sun; if it’s windy or chill, she spreads her wings and hunkers down to the ground, and they wriggle beneath her to get warm.

She never lets the chicks out of her sight; that’s her shoulder on the left.

And, some videos of Sue and the chicks:

 

Here she is, teaching them to peck for food.

I love how the one little yellow chick keeps using Mom like a piece of playground equipment.

In this one, watch at about 0:46 – something makes a weird noise, and Sue is instantly on the lookout.

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