The “Peep Show” Wrangling Baby Chicks

You’ve heard the saying, “It’s like wrangling cats,” right? Try wrangling baby chicks. A recent photo session brought giggles, quick reflexes, and more than a little patience, all in the name of capturing some irresistible fluff.

The setting was Black Horse Farm in Woodinville, a true oasis owned by Heather. Her farm is home to everything from miniature Highland cows and donkeys to heritage chicken breeds and gorgeous Friesians. On this particular day, though, it was all about the chicks.

Heather had just welcomed freshly hatched Swedish Flower Hen babies, a rare, heritage landrace breed that developed naturally over generations in Sweden. Their feathers are as varied as they are stunning, often resembling the patterns of Speckled Sussex. Learning about them, and photographing them at just a day old felt like a gift.

Keeping them in place was another story. We set up in Heather’s barn office, making sure the chicks were warm and cozy. A tiny metal bathtub filled with cotton blooms became our stage — it looked almost like a bubble bath as the chicks wobbled across their “clouds.” We laughed as they tried to balance, their little bodies teetering and tottering, their sweetness impossible to contain. For another setup, we perched them on moss-topped flower pots — “Swedish Flower Pot Hens,” as we jokingly called them.

The fun didn’t stop there. We also photographed Heather’s Black Copper Maran and Blue Frizzle chicks in a woven basket lined with silk peonies, the perfect little nest to corral their constant motion. And then came Smudge, Heather’s Black Cochin bantam rooster. Small in stature but big in personality, Smudge posed like a pro against a white backdrop, overlooking a wire basket brimming with pastel eggs. With sunflowers at his feet, he looked every bit the proud rooster, even if the scene had a touch of “Mr. Mom” irony.

Sessions like this remind me why I love farm photography. It’s not just about the animals, though they steal the show. It’s about the people who care for them with such devotion, and the joy that shines through when that love meets the lens. That’s where the magic lives.