Yogic Chickens?

  The chicks are now three weeks old and (as you can see) developing nicely! In fact, they are so big and spry that we had to graduate their indoor home from the feed bin that we were using to a much larger moving box to make their enclosure higher as they were "popping out" like popcorn each time we removed the cover to feed them!

  Here is Sam sitting pretty. Just a week ago, they were not "perching" like this when we held them. As you can see with Sam, the Rhode Island Reds have some beautifully colored feathers coming in.

We are so pleased that they are thriving! We have found that as they get older they require/desire less of the heat lamp and an ever increasing amount of water. We have some thirsty birds! One other thing that I have noticed is that they love plain yogurt (which we give them in a shallow dish with some of their grain mixed in). But probably the most interesting thing I've observed is that they seem to love Yoga. Yes, you read that right.

I've been practicing Yoga for the better part of 10 years now. Currently I am working with a teacher one-on-one to develop a personal practice to challenge me and ultimately prepare me for a certification in teaching. I practice early in the morning and because I also require heat, I practice in the sun room with the chicks. The chicks are typically skittish - chirping and fluttering about. What I have found, however, is that my yoga practice seems to have an incredibly calming effect on them. As soon as I begin my mediation and breathing they grow (somewhat eerily) silent. In fact, I don't hear a single peep from them throughout the 45 to 60 minutes of my normal practice (which is very unusual).

Naturally, I think this is really cool. Yogic chickens...only at Lachenman Gothic.