One Big Happy Coop

Quite easily, our little peepers have moved out of the house. We, the human parents, are officially empty-nesting, while the teens are out having a ball in the spring time living it up inside their brand-new big run. No looking back, no calling home, no remorse or sadness. Leaving the confines and safety of the big house came to them as easily as drinking a large glass of wine comes to me.

Nope. The chickies have adapted quite well to their orange and pink coop, and they seem to love their new dormies too.

We do live right next door, but you'd think they'd miss us...a little!?

Hanging with the fluffy-haired Janis. With hair like that, will she warp their young minds?

On Friday, the 13th (goodness gracious!), we left the awkward adolescents out past dark and then simply put them in the coop right after Spinderella and Janis had gone in to roost. The next morning, they all sauntered out and have enjoyed their freedom ever since. Sure, when we visit, they give us the obligatory affection we seek, but for the most part, these chickies are doing pretty well without their parents. We convinced ourselves they'd need us to intervene as they navigated the big, old world of strangers, but nope - that's gone well too. We ran out to protect them from the first day's storm, but they had managed that without us as well. It appears they've grown up.

We're happy they're doing well even though we miss their little "Night, night" sounds. We knew we'd have to let go someday; we just didn't think they'd be so casual about it!

One of the big kids showing the newbies how it's done.

Pretending to care that I'm about to visit.