228. One big happy family?

The chicks were 11 weeks old at the weekend, and we decided that it was time they were moved, along with their surrogate mother, the white bantam, into the main chicken house . . .
. . . and into hell - as the 2nd photo suggests.

So, on Saturday afternoon we caged the three of them in the main house, alone, and let them explore, and hopefully roost. Then at dusk we let Flash and the 5 hens back into their house.

Chaos ensued. Bloody chaos.

And ever since; Flash has been patrolling up and down, the (larger) white sussex hens have been pecking and baying (almost wolf-like) and skirmishing has been breaking out all over the place.

Two days later, it is still not much better. One hen has a facial injury, the two chicks roost as soon as there is any trouble and egg-laying is becoming a case of  'drop-it-anywhere, quickly and run'.

The only bright note is that the black bantam has laid her first egg for 18 months. (I half-expected an ostrich-sized egg after all that time, but, disappointingly it was normal.) Will it be another 18 months before she lays another?

So not quite one big happy family.

The chicken house as a simile for (human) life?

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