the first week

The baby chicks are now a week old today. I'm just amazed at how much they have already learned how to do and how big they are getting already.

All three of them are now hopping/flying over the short roosting dowel I have in the brooder for them to play on. They have also each started to try to perch on the pole. They have figured out that it's easier to stay up there a little longer by squatting down while holdning on (instead of standing tall). They only stay up for a minute or so (so far), but they are definitely working on it.

They have also discovered that it's fun to play 'keep away' with eachother - one will find a wood shaving with an interesting shape then pick up up and run around the box chirping - while the others chase her and try to get the wood shaving - eventually another chick gets it and the chase continues. They will all be involved in the chirping and chasing - then shortly thereafter they are all down for a nap. :)

All 3 chicks are now jumping to peck the thermometer (which was raised a little higher than they are) at times and even looking to the upper edge of the box and making a jump attempt... which means probably in the next few days, I'll have to raise the flaps on the box to keep them from "flying the coop" while I'm at work.

They also seem to know when we are the ones picking them up (vs strangers) and now when we go to let them down, will hang out in our open hands for sometime before deciding to go back in the brooder.

As for feathers - Cluck has feathers on about 3/4 of her wings, Scratch about 1/2 way and Peck has about 1/3 of her feathers on her wings. The first two also seem to be getting a few little beginnings of tail feathers. They are probably about 2 times the size they were when I got them just last week. When I first got them I could imagine them almost fitting into an egg - now, they are way too big!

I can't wait to get home from work today to see what else they have learned about during the day! We tried feedng them a raspberry from the yard yesterday (which chickens are supposed to like) but I don't think they understand what treats are yet and that they can eat something that doesn't look like the food in their dish (soon enough they'll have that figured out too I'm sure!)