Musical chairs with chickens

Well, this week our dear sweet Rosie the Rhode Island Red has begun to molt. This is our very first molt at City Mouse Farm and it's kind of sad and exciting all at the same time. Exciting because it represents a forward motion. Our first chickens are all grown and experiencing their right of passage as the "elders" in the coop. Sad because Rosie looks rather pathetic, kinda gangly and balding. In big egg production, Rosie would be bound for the stock pot as she will lay fewer eggs after her molt.
At the same time, Meyer and Pepper, the 2 month old blue Cochins have begun to spend their nights in the coop with the big girls. Jonathan had to add a third perch so there wouldn't be any fighting over space.
And as we move the teenie boppers out, we prepare the incubator for eggs arriving from Tennessee and Texas. The boy has joined 4-H and we're going to try our luck at hatching a few varieties of bantam chickens.

Chickens are truly so fun and easy. I highly suggest that every garden keep a few. Our chickens enjoyed a winter squash as big as my thigh and some fresh grass clippings today. They sang praises to the chef as they ate.