Two steps forward and one step back. That's the way the chickens scratch. Two steps up...then one back to see what they scratched up. Repeat. Repeat again. Do a bit of a wiggle when you shuffle back and forth. It's a chicken's way.
And a common quote, or pair of quotes have been spinning in my head. Something about not putting the cart before the horse, followed closely by not counting your chickens before they hatch. Runs along the line of one I just made up..."Don't buy your chicks before the coop." Or you will also have a large Amazon cardboard box in your bedroom at night (to keep them away from curious dogs during the wee hours). Funny thing is, I've grown accustomed to their night-time sounds. The chicks make a brrrrr sort of sound when they get to brooding for the night. Pretend your Spanish teacher is teaching you to trill your R's. Same sound. This is after they shuffle for dominance in whichever preferred corner of the box is choice for sleep. They pile up together. Every night. You'd think they were killing one another by how noisy they get before they go, "brrrrr," but so far, we've not noticed any plucked feathers the next day. We thankfully don't have any aggressive chicks.
Second son said that because the chicks are growing so quickly, we're going to take the screen off the top of the box one morning, and there'll be standing room only. The chicks will be standing shoulder to shoulder, not able to move. If that happens, guess we'll just hunt for another box. Huh.
