New Chicks on the Block



Madge and Helen check out the new neighbors.

Our new girls have settled nicely into their brand new, one bedroom, starter home. It's pretty exciting to move into a new house and get to know the new neighbors -- especially when the old biddies next door are the "mother hen" type...so to speak. 
After much discussion on the type of pen we were going to build, Hal and I settled on a pre-made "chick-n-pen" from the farm store. It fits perfectly on the mini coop and provides enough space for the chicks to roam around.  A leftover piece of fiberboard (which already matched the paint) was added to keep the rain at bay.  

These are temporary digs for our chicks, who are now 7 weeks old.  My goal is to have a combined flock living under one coop/roof by week 16 (mid-July).  My integration strategy includes a couple of "meet and greets" inside the confines of a large, plastic-fenced pen.  All that tasty, green grass will surely provide a distraction for the big girls...at least for a few minutes. 

Given our past experience with flock integration, I'm hoping these backyard play dates make the transition easier for everyone -- especially those of us without wings and beaks.