Baby Chickens Roosting in the Front Rose Bush

I knew that this was happening on dry nights and so after three days and nights of constant rain, these particular youngins’ rediscovered that hacked out rose bush John mangled last month. I’ve seen them before up there but up till now have never caught them going into it. But as luck would have it our drapes were open and there was still just enough light to snap a dozen shots while they circled the bush, with their eyes focused on the strange canopy. With all those thorns that catch me even when I’m just walking by, I can’t imagine how they manage to jump and fly successfully up to the higher branches. But that’s exactly what they did and with the exception of the one chicken that decided to land on her sibling, who wasn’t too thrilled with that idea, this was mostly handled with substantial aplomb.
My chickens are a pain in the you know what most of the time, but this family was part of the 14 or so that landed at my doorstep every morning, noon and night to sleep or creep as close to me as possible. I am their surrogate mommy and they know it. If they even looked at me sideways, I’d give them some sort of treat to eat. This bunch even slept outside the French doors and tried to bombard their way into the house through the glass one night, when they were much younger but out on their own. I’m sure their mother hens, the two with the most babies, needed some private time after raising these unruly but lovable little brats. So, when it came time to leave them to their own devices, they were out of the scene pretty darn quick.
These animals take up a lot of my time every day but they give me much pleasure too with their bizarre antics and we seem to speak the same language for most of the day. Though by nighttime when they’re finally tuckered out I’m quite happy to see them finally still and quiet.
I know that the attached shots aren’t my best since I took them on a cold night at the end of our crazy summer, through the foggy panes of the French doors. They watched me warily but still managed to get to bed after some juggling around to reach the upper branches. There were five initially but I believe that only four made it to the pinnacle of successful bed locating up there. Night night, birdies. You’re Just like the big birds high up in the pines behind the chook house. Good job!
At the crack of dawn this lot will be camped in front of my glass paned front door looking in, as always. But they’re irresistibly cute to me at that hour so I can live with that. Later on, when I see the presents they’ve left for me, I’m not so sure.