Chicks Fly

The chicks flew for the first time last night.  As the sun set, they followed their mentor/stepmother Meredith to perch at the top of the chicken coop.  One over-achieving female chick even flew to a lower branch of the basswood tree above the coop before she hopped back down to the roof of the coop.  Meredith always perches on top of the coop at the end of the day and this time the chicks did too.  At first two chicks were up there.  I watched as the other four attempted to join the group.  Several flew to a nearby lawn chair seat first and then flew to the roof.  One flew right from the grass to the roof of the coop and then scrambled up the rest of the way squawking and flapping her wings.  Having six chicks in her life has changed Meredith.  She is not the adventurous, free-wheeling independent chicken she used to be.  Now she is a mother.  Her voice has changed.  She has a huskier and throatier voice now.  Meredith talks to the chicks.  When I open the coop door to let them out, Meredith notices right away and dashes out calling back to the chicks to follow. When I throw fresh dandelion leaves or other treats into the run, she clucks to them so they know to come out and eat.  When it is dark and she is in the coop with four chicks and two haven't gone inside yet, she calls to them to come inside.  She knows the chicks will follow her so she doesn't go as far from the coop anymore.  She doesn't take them to the compost piles or inside the garden.  Meredith's ability to adapt to changes is  probably part of the reason she has lived so long.  She seems to be relishing her new role as foster mom.