We live in the country, which is usually a pretty dependably pretty quiet place to live. The Barred Rocks are quiet birds, and have been since they were wee little chicks.  Turns out that the noise level among chickens is highly variable. Mottled Javas Ancona chicks, so far, sound like a flock of chirpy chatty warbly singing chickens. They make a lot of noise. Moments of quiet are few and far between. (Editor note: as it turns out, the hatchery had sent me the wrong breed.  These chicks were not mottled Javas at all, they were (and now are) a breed known as Ancona, a flighty and vocal breed).

I have been wondering if this might be a breed characteristic, and possibly… could it be that this incessant level of chirpy noise contributed to their current “critical” conservation status?  No, no, that’s not very nice.

Excuse me while I go out to the coop for a minute for some peace and quiet so I can hear myself think.  These chicks are heading out to the garage this weekend, and then to the coop a couple of weeks later, or as soon as the weather is warm enough. We are now in week three, when going gets generally tougher, in terms of dust and aroma.   I would really, really, really like my house back!

But for now, we have 25 warbly, singing chickens, entering week three in the brooder.

Oscar likes to keep an eye on things while he naps.