What is this? The woods in the spring? That and much more. That and a perfect nursery for a mother hen to raise her chicks. Somewhere in that thick brush is Skunky, its siblings and its mother.

There’s Skunky, watching carefully, so it can snatch any good earthworm or grub its mother digs out of the forest floor. There are very few chicks who at 10 days old get to spend all day outdoors eating good things their mother finds for them. It sure beats living under a heat lamp eating chick starter with no mother around to care for you.

Growing up this way, is one reason the eggs, the hens at a man and his hoe® lay, taste so good. Raising hens who lay wonderful eggs starts from when they are this small. As they sit on their nests, their minds are full of wonderful childhood memories. When they close their eyes, they can hear their mother’s call. That’s one reason their eggs are so good.



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It’s not the disaster it sounds like. The “skunk” in question is one of the new chicks. It’s striped like a skunk. I’m tempted to call it Skunky, however, as its feathers come in, the stripes will disappear. The colors and patterns on baby chicks often change dramatically as they grow up.

The black stripe streaking out of its eye makes an impression. When it’s outside, this chick is easy to spot.