Time To Get Everyone Acquainted

On the third day, we decided it was time for all the kids to get acquainted.  We figured it was better to bite the bullet early on and deal with the discord now.  Rather  than lure the chickens into a false sense of sovereign.

We gingerly dropped Cosmo into the run. Chika was definitely more nervous of the two.  

Boom Boom got right in there.

Pretty soon everyone went about doing their own business.

Then came the human kid introduction. 

Next step: Free Range.  

 Cosmo's thought bubble: This ass does not smell like a dog.

Chickens: "Damn....this whole yard is ours?"

 See what I mean about Boom Boom being the more aggressive one?

What I've learned today is chickens are very methodical.  I sat out there for most of the day in part out of curiosity and in part out of fear for their safety. Our yard is a rectangle and they started to peck in one corner of the dirt border and made their way all around the perimeter by the end of the day.  Except for a minor foray when they were first let loose out of their run. They did not zig zag or get distracted in any fashion.  They stuck to a pattern of pecking at every square inch of the border like two hands of a clock and made a full "circle" by the end of the day. At 7:26PM, Boom Boom stood for a few minutes on our deck (the 12:00 position if you will) then proceeded to go into the coop on her own and found her way to the upstairs nesting box.  Chicka?  Well, that is another story and one that I don't have time to report right now because it's Sangria time.