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.
Michael, They are beautiful chicks. Many thanks for sharing the videos.