No matter what size or age they are, my chickens like to snuggle up to sleep. It’s something that always surprises me - this need they have to be close together, and how they each make sure their needs are met.

Take the big girls. Agnes is the smallest and get cold the easiest. She likes to squeeze in between Maisie and Penny and use them like a big down comforter. Often if you go into the coop at night you’d think she was missing, unless you can spot her little white head, or know to look between the other two. Lucy likes to be by the wall, so she’s usually squashed up against it with Penny on her other side. Maisie has decided that she’s the watch dog so she takes the spot closest to the door.

The 10 little ones have decided that they don’t need the heatlamp anymore. I think it’s a combination of the weather finally getting a bit warmer, and that they have most of their feathers. They’ve taken to sleeping in a pile in a corner of the barn stall. Or sometimes two piles for no apparent reason. I always have a moment when I find them that way when I think half of them are missing. But then all the little heads come popping up and they disentangle themselves.

They look like big down pillows no matter the age. Too bad they don’t like it when I snuggle my face down in there…