At four months, our babies look like small versions of their adult selves. [Watch their progress here and here.]

Calamity Jane, Eugenia, & Roo at 4 months

Calamity Jane, the Dark Brahma, is still the runt, but she is big on personality.  She is bold and assertive with the other chickens, and not shy around humans.  She is the only new chicken that walks right up to you and lets you pick her up. She closes her eyes and snuggles when you pet her.

Eugenia, the Silver-Laced Wyandotte, is reserved and delicate.  She is cartoonishly tall, with long, yellow, knocked-knees.  She is the last to approach for treats.  I don’t know too much about her because she often keeps to herself.

Roo, the Copper-Black Marans, is large, more copper than black, and both bold and skittish. Roo might be a rooster; we are still waiting for ‘him’ to crow.  At 4 months there is a good chance a rooster would have started crowing already, so I reserve some small hope that Roo is a girl; I covet the chocolate brown eggs she would lay.  But every time I see her I am struck by how curly her tail feathers are becoming, how long her neck feathers are growing…

Not sure how long it will take for the hens to start laying.  With our first hens, laying began at 6 months, but they were maturing over winter, which should take a bit longer.  Still, I am guessing it will be another month before we have new eggs to consider.  I had best get busy expanding the nesting boxes!