A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara


When I was grading science papers this Spring, I was reminded about life cycles. I saw many drawings of caterpillars to butterflies and tadpoles to frogs.

At Miller Farm I get to witness the life cycle of a chicken.

www.judythewriter.com, www.judythemorgan.comOf course, they start as eggs in the incubator. That part is pretty boring and lasts 21 days, usually. We always have at least one overachiever who makes their entrance early. Then they cheep loudly to encourage their friends to join them.

After they hatch and dry off they become “fuzzy butts.”  These are quite cute and represent what most people think of when they picture chicks.

After a few weeks they enter the “ugly stage”. This happens as they lose their baby feathers and start to get their adult feathers. They are truly ugly.www.judythewriter.com, Chicken Wrangler Sara

Shortly after this stage they are in the “piglet” stage where they eat all the time.  I guess that helps them grow to be full-sized chickens.  Soon these guys will join the rest of the flock.

Hopefully we have enough hens to replace those who have died this summer and we won’t have to go through this life cycle again any time soon.www.judythewriter.com

Right now I’m more interested in the life cycle of a grandson who will never have an ugly stage!www.judythewriter.com