When not to pasture chicks

I took the short video
above on Saturday afternoon, when we enjoyed a day of spring before
diving back into winter.



Outdoor chick brooder

Usually, I let our
chicks out to nibble at the ground once they’re about two weeks old and
are well-bonded to their
outdoor
brooder

Unfortunately, this year, the weather has been against me.  While
chicks are still covered in fluff, they’re easily chilled if they get
wet, so I can’t let them out into cold rains or snows, which is what
the weather’s been like for most of their second week of life.



Chicks on forest pasture

So they’ve mostly been
stuck inside, except for this one foray into the wider world.  The
Pearl Leghorns led the charge once the door opened, but were also the
most confused by not being able to walk through the plexiglass to get
back home.  Hopefully, by this coming weekend, the worm of winter
will have turned and the Leghorns will be able to show their shyer
foster siblings how to hunt.



Our chicken waterer keeps the miniature flock
entertained when they’re cooped up indoors.

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