There’s always something new for the chicks to learn. Today it’s about roosting. Their mother has hopped to the top of a roost and three of her little ones are mimicking her behavior. The fourth one is off doing her own thing on the other side of the fencing. At this age, they can still squeeze through the fence wire. In another month, they will have grown too large to slip through. The first time they realize they can’t squeeze through anymore can be a traumatic experience. But they get over it and learn to go through the gate like all the adult chickens.

The chicks below are learning to socialize. When their mother stops to chat with company, they wait patiently for her. Having a mother provides so many rich experiences for growing chicks. Too bad we can’t put chickens on a couch and have an in-depth conversation with them. It would be fascinating to compare the life stories of those raised by mothers and those raised without mothers.