Chicks 3 weeks old

The latest hatch are now 3 weeks old and are beginning to show their individual personalities.

The young Barnvelder X cockerel is the most independent, preferring to scavenge for his own food and rarely coming to the call of food from his mother. Although he does respond instinctively to any warning cry from her.

Photo: Mr. Independent


The little Cream Legbar cockerel is quiet but adventurous. The other morning I found him on the outside of the run, having found and squeezed under the tiniest of gaps. When I opened the door he simply walked back in as if he had done it a dozen times before.

The remaining four Barnvelder and Barnebars stick together and are more often found close to the mother hen, either riding on her back or brooding amongst her feathers.

Photo: Discovering the delight of an apple


All six are extremely confident and friendly, happy to climb into the palm of any hand that offers food.

Although the weather has turned quite cold, it remains on the whole dry. The wet is much harder for the chicks to cope with than the cold and the mother hen is doing a fine job of brooding them.

Photo: Fluffed up for warmth, protection from the cold wind.