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The Ladies have changed so much.  They look like "real chickens" now.  No more little fuzzy chicks.  The younger four are 14 weeks old.  And Lacy is 7 1/2 months.  Not only do they look different but their personalities are now pretty defined.  Are you as surprised as I am to hear they have personalities?  A chicken is a chicken right?  Wrong!

From the moment I took the chicks out of the mailing box, Luna was dominant chick.  We thought she was a wild woman.  And was she bossy!   As they got bigger she soon became the tamest.  Always jumping up on my hand to get an "elevator" ride out of the brooder.  Maybe it's just that she's the smartest.... or laziest.  Once The Ladies moved out to the coop, Luna was clearly Head Chick.  Always the first to try new things, always getting the prime roosting spot, and first one out of the run for free-range play time.  Luna is my favorite.  Shhhh!   Don't tell the others.  I know I'm not supposed to play favorites.  But she's always the first to great me.  She likes to pop into the coop to inspect my housekeeping work in the morning.  And she is constantly photo bombing the others.  She just makes me laugh.

Luna saying Good Morning while I scoop the coop

 

Luna photo-bombing Hedwig's Good-bye photo

 

 

When they were little chicks, I thought JiJi was going to be Second in Command.  Boy was I wrong!  Maybe I was assuming size equals position and Jiji was definitely the fastest growing of the Babies.   It turns out that JiJi is the meekest and mellowest of the Ladies.  I suspect she has a strong nurturing side as she was the one to take Bella and Hedwig "under her wing" when we introduced them.  And she was just a few days older than they were so she didn't have big wings at the time.  But she always snuggled up with the other two and they seemed to need that.  I remember watching her trying to sleep next to a very restless Hedwig. JiJi finally stretched her neck over Hedwig and Hedwig fell fast asleep.  JiJi is the hardest to catch and doesn't particularly like to be held (except when I rescued her from quarantine with Lacy.  Then she was happy to cuddle).  She has a voice but doesn't use it a lot.  When she does, it is quiet and sweet.  You get the impression that in a group of woman - she'd be the one everyone counts on to be kind.   A little JiJi quirk - she is always the last one off the perch in the morning.   Sleepyhead!  Hmm.  So maybe JiJi is my favorite.

JiJi adheres to the premise of "safety in numbers"

And then there is Ebony.  She is a spunky little thing.  She's by far the smallest of the Ladies.  But she is Luna's right wing - even now that Luna has been demoted.  Ebony is second to do everything.  She would have made a good rooster.  She is The Guardian!  She's always checking out every new sound.  It's pretty common to see all the other Ladies scratching around in the dirt and Ebony standing at attention.  She kind of reminds me of a Meerkat on guard duty.  She's also the bravest about people.  She is the easiest to catch and seems quite happy to be held.  And she was no "chicken" when it came to welcoming Lacy to the flock.  When Lacy was busy putting all the others in their places, Ebony quietly stood her ground.  She's the only Lady whose voice hasn't dropped.  While the others have deep "bwok"s, Ebony still says something closer to "Bweep".  I think she is by far the friendliest.  Whenever I go visit the Ladies, Ebony is right at the run door to greet me and see if it is time for free-range time.  Oh and she has also picked up some photo bombing skills form Luna.  She and Luna play comedian to JiJi's straight man routine.  Ok so she might be my favorite. 

 

Ebony The Guardian when still just a chick

 

 

Bella is a Big Chicken.  And I mean that in two ways.  She is large and a scaredy cat.  She's the first to run for the coop at the slightest cause.   I suspect she is the one that usually starts the rest of the flock running.  She's always the last to try new foods.  After all, she needs to wait for a little while to make sure Ebony doesn't keel over after being the official taste tester.  She is one of the first out of the coop to see me in the morning - but she maintains a safe distance.  She has a funny running dance move.  We have named it the Bella Dance.  Stick your neck out long and low, snake it side to side and run while wiggling your fuzzy butt.  That's the Bella Dance.  Someday maybe I'll get it on video but first I have to figure out what causes it.   The funniest thing about Bella is she NEVER stops talking.   NEVER.  Thank goodness she is quiet.  But she has this funny deep growly voice.  Bella has been the hardest to get to know but now that I do - she could be my favorite.

 

Bella maintaining a safe distance from the camera

 

 Definitely the fuzziest butt

Last but definitely not least is Lacy.  I think of her as The Boss Lady.  While she was in quarantine she was a love.  Always cooing at me.  Not that she's mean with the other Ladies but she is definitely in charge.  She successfully dethroned Luna but now that her position is clear she's settled into the role pretty calmly.  But don't mess with her before she lays her egg of the day.  She gets crabby!  I suspect she's a bit of a diva.  She loves a good dust bath and day in the garden.  As Boss Lady, Lacy gets to eat first, decide where the others fit on the perch, and dictate who stands where.  When she wants to.  And if she doesn't feel like dictating at that moment, then they are free to do their own thing.  Yup sounds more and more like a diva.  Even so, the rest of the Ladies all seem to respect her.  I guess even chickens need to have a leader.  And I for one kind of like the diva part of her.   I've had the least time with Lacy but she coos at me and gives me eggs!  Definitely in the running for favorite.

Lacy's Garden Spa Day