The Cook Family: Getting Big Girl Feathers and a Coop Built

I put a tension rod into the Brooder so the girls could practice there roosting balance. So funny to watch.

Maggie was the first to be brave enough and check out the shiny bar in their home. She hopped right up and then over. Didn't take long for the others to try to balance up there too. Later I added some sandpaper perch covers so they could get a better grip. They began to try to turn around and walk up on the perch.

This is a picture of Maggie as she learned to balance enough that she could actually sit down on the bar.

This is about 2 weeks later... Annie is closest to the camera, then Caroline and then Clara. Cinnamon is facing the camera (under Caroline's neck). They're looks are changing so fast.

I added another tension bar as they got bigger so they could all fit.

Here's a picture of the little girls at 3 weeks old.

Curious as ever about the camera everyone stops to pose for a picture.

Cinnamon and Meg are on the far perch.

Caroline, Minnie, Charlotte, Maggie and Annie are in the middle.

Clara is in front on the right.

The next picture shows Maggie standing tall on the top perch (of course).

Pretty soon their feet were getting too big for the skinny tension rod so I installed 2 roosting posts made out of 2x2's. They loved this because they could walk right across it like a balance beam and it made sitting up there even easier. One was set up a little higher than the other and it was so interesting watching them "fight" over who got to sit up the highest. Part of the "Pecking Order" thing I assume. They're quickly outgrowing the Brooder box so we've started building their Big Girl Coop.

And this is what some of the girls look like today, at 5 weeks: Maggie aka Miss Curious

Meg

Cinnamon center and Charlotte to the left.

And on the closest perch from the left is Ruby, the back of Clara, standing behind the first perch is Minnie.
On the top perch from the left is Caroline, Meg and Penny. It's okay if you think I'm a bit of a freak because I recognize all my girls. It's what a mother does lol.