Remember “Peeper”, our little chick whose mom died when she was only four weeks old? Look what a beautiful hen she is now! Peeper is still low on the pecking order in the chicken coop. She will not go into the coop at night on her own for fear she will be bothered by the older hens. So every night just after sunset, when all the older hens are roosting, I go out to find Peeper. She is usually roosting alone on a railing in the barn. I carry her into the coop and place her on a high perch out of pecking range.

Every morning when I go out to the barn to do chores, Peeper has escaped the coop and has made her way around to the grain room. She knows I will give her a little pile of grain to eat out of reach and sight of the other hens. Should any hens find us, I act as her mother, shooing the hens away until Peeper is finished eating.

Then, Peeper comes with me to the house to visit everyone inside. I am actually not sure that she likes doing this as she trembles a bit when I take her inside. I suppose the house noises and smells are different from those in the barn. This morning we captured some pictures of her so you could see her. Now if only her mother could see what a brave, fine hen she has become…