WOW - this has been a busy week for the baby chicks. They are now 14 days old and are about the size of a normal Robin you would find in your yard. I can't believe how big they are getting so quickly!!
They have almost all feathers on their wings now (just a very little bit of that baby fuzz left on the wings) They still have lots of baby fuzz on their body & head. So, they are still very chick-ish, just bigger!
The chicks have been learning about treats this week. They LOVE corn on the cob. We cut about a 1/4 of the cob with the kernals on, then run a knife blade down the center of the kernals (they seem to like to eat the insides of the kernals - but have trouble getting through just yet on their own). Then we tie the cob to a string and to a support bar over the top of the brooder - making a type of corn-cob pinata. They all gather around and happily peck at the cob chirping and enjoying the insides of the kernals. Every once in a while one chick will get a whole kernal off the cob - then go running around the coop loudly (as if to say "I've got one! I've got one!"). This causes the other 2 to start chase to try to get the kernal. Too funny to watch!! It's a toy and a treat for them!
All three chicks have also tried fresh Strawberries - which peck loves... and fresh Zucchini seems to be a hit as well for all. I think the jury is still out on raspberries - they don't seem to go crazy for them yet, Peck will have some - but it's not the same as when she has a strawberry piece. (small pieces of all of course!)
They had their first adventure outside this past Sunday. I created a good sized fenced in area for them to stretch their wings and get some sunshine - the first time on grass was a little tentative for them - They were not too sure what I just set them on at first, but they adjusted quickly. They loved rolling in the grass, pecking in it, taking a little nap all stretched out in the sunshine, and then a few games of chase and a weird fly-hopping over eachother game that kind of resembled leap-frog! They even ate some of their first bugs out there! They had a good 2 hours ourside, then when I brought them in they were cashed out for a good nap shortly thereafter!
I found a vet here in the city of Rochester that sees Chickens. They have a well-chick visit on Wednesday evening to be sure they are starting off on a good path and to discuss which (if any) vaccines they may need since we are close to the woods - with a high liklihood of exposure to other wild birds. Prevention is the best course, rather than waiting and wishing we had taken preventive measures AFTER they get exposed to something. So, we'll see what is recommended (if anything) and go from there.
As it stands now - I seem to have some very happy birds here at the house! The chicks have some very happy owners too - they are so much fun! I'm really glad we got them!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
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!)
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!)
Friday, June 18, 2010
4 days old
The chicks seem to be getting used to their new home. They are moving to all areas of their brooder box today (instead of just hovering near the food and water dishes). They have been comfortable with napping a little longer (5-20 minutes) than just the 2 minute 1/2 naps they were doing yesterday.
Cluck (rir) is starting to show a lot more feathers (vs fuzz) on her wings already.
Cluck also seems to be backing off on the intense eyeball poking of her other two little friends. (Though she still seems to be the leader.) They have started to stand up to her a bit when it comes to her packing them repeatedly. Still overall a good amount of pecking going on between them - which it sounds like this will be happening for quite some time as they sort out their pecking order.
They have also taken to occasionally pecking the box and making mad dashes from one side of the box to the other when they want food or want to back into the main area for playing - which is kind of funny! No one has tried the roost yet (about 4 1/2 inches up). I tried to show them about it yesterday, but their little feet don't seem to be strong enough to hold them up on a roost yet. Cluck has made a couple of attempts to either get onto the roost or jump over it today. (Not sure which she's trying to do, eitherway she hasn't been successful yet.)
Cluck seems to be interested in pecking the hanging thermometer in the middle of the brooder too. She seems to be studying how it moves after she hits it.
Peck and Scratch seem to be little buddies - not too much pecking between those two.
I've been changing their water about 3-4 times a day now to freshen it up (it gets a little warm since it's in the brooder with them and a 95 degree heat lamp!) This way I'm able to cool it off for them. I'm putting about 1/2 cup of food into their dish in the morning and that seems to hold them all day with less than 1/2 left in the dish the next morning. (I have just been dumping that and giving them fresh food in the morning.) They tend to get a little poop in the food from time to time (which I take out when I see) so it's good to wash the dish and start fresh in the morning!
They (and I) will experience the first bedding change tomorrow morning. That may be interesting! Composter is all ready for the bedding materials.
So far having the baby chickens is pretty easy work. :) I hope it stays fun, relatively easy, and entertaining!
Cluck (rir) is starting to show a lot more feathers (vs fuzz) on her wings already.
Cluck also seems to be backing off on the intense eyeball poking of her other two little friends. (Though she still seems to be the leader.) They have started to stand up to her a bit when it comes to her packing them repeatedly. Still overall a good amount of pecking going on between them - which it sounds like this will be happening for quite some time as they sort out their pecking order.
They have also taken to occasionally pecking the box and making mad dashes from one side of the box to the other when they want food or want to back into the main area for playing - which is kind of funny! No one has tried the roost yet (about 4 1/2 inches up). I tried to show them about it yesterday, but their little feet don't seem to be strong enough to hold them up on a roost yet. Cluck has made a couple of attempts to either get onto the roost or jump over it today. (Not sure which she's trying to do, eitherway she hasn't been successful yet.)
Cluck seems to be interested in pecking the hanging thermometer in the middle of the brooder too. She seems to be studying how it moves after she hits it.
Peck and Scratch seem to be little buddies - not too much pecking between those two.
I've been changing their water about 3-4 times a day now to freshen it up (it gets a little warm since it's in the brooder with them and a 95 degree heat lamp!) This way I'm able to cool it off for them. I'm putting about 1/2 cup of food into their dish in the morning and that seems to hold them all day with less than 1/2 left in the dish the next morning. (I have just been dumping that and giving them fresh food in the morning.) They tend to get a little poop in the food from time to time (which I take out when I see) so it's good to wash the dish and start fresh in the morning!
They (and I) will experience the first bedding change tomorrow morning. That may be interesting! Composter is all ready for the bedding materials.
So far having the baby chickens is pretty easy work. :) I hope it stays fun, relatively easy, and entertaining!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Welcome home!
The post office called at 7AM this morning to let me know the baby chicks were here. They were picked up and home in thier brooder by 7:30AM. They were very loud chirpers in the car, once they got under the heatlamp though they quieted right down.
It took a bit of time and coaxing to get them to start drinking water, but once they understood it was there for them, they happy drank it and decided to try dipping their feet in it too. After they had a chance to warm up and get hydrated a bit, the food was introduced, once they understood what that was for it was an all-out feeding frenzy. Of course all three wanted to eat from the SAME spot. Too funny. Since I picked them up this morning, I think they have visually grown in size (if from nothing else but full bellies)!
Two of them seem to be getting tired, but the 3rd wants to still play. So each time one of the first 2 tries to doze off, the third comes over and walks on them. :)
They are a Rhode Island Red (named Cluck), a Welsummer (named Peck), and a Barred Plymouth Rock (named Scratch). They are going to grow so fast! :( But this is going to be fun. :)
Welcome home baby chicks!
It took a bit of time and coaxing to get them to start drinking water, but once they understood it was there for them, they happy drank it and decided to try dipping their feet in it too. After they had a chance to warm up and get hydrated a bit, the food was introduced, once they understood what that was for it was an all-out feeding frenzy. Of course all three wanted to eat from the SAME spot. Too funny. Since I picked them up this morning, I think they have visually grown in size (if from nothing else but full bellies)!
Two of them seem to be getting tired, but the 3rd wants to still play. So each time one of the first 2 tries to doze off, the third comes over and walks on them. :)
They are a Rhode Island Red (named Cluck), a Welsummer (named Peck), and a Barred Plymouth Rock (named Scratch). They are going to grow so fast! :( But this is going to be fun. :)
Welcome home baby chicks!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Hatch-day substitution...
Well, the Golden Laced Wyandotte is no more. The hatchery called me today just before I left work to let me know they did not have enough girls of that breed so they wanted to offer substitutions.
We will now be getting a welsummer instead. I think that will be fine. They are supposed to also be very friendly and can tolerate the cold weather up here. I guess the Welsummer rooster is the type that was on the cornflakes boxes... the hens don't look quite the same but they're cute too! :) What's kind of neat is that they lay dark brown eggs with little black specs - something cool and different!
The woman that called confirmed for me that they will be shipping out tomorrow via express mail. I should still be on target for either later in the day tomorrow or Wednesday morning. It was nice that I got a chance to choose the new breed and talk with someone from the hatchery - she was really helpful in guiding my decision to pick something that would go well with the 2 others we were already getting.
We will now be getting a welsummer instead. I think that will be fine. They are supposed to also be very friendly and can tolerate the cold weather up here. I guess the Welsummer rooster is the type that was on the cornflakes boxes... the hens don't look quite the same but they're cute too! :) What's kind of neat is that they lay dark brown eggs with little black specs - something cool and different!
The woman that called confirmed for me that they will be shipping out tomorrow via express mail. I should still be on target for either later in the day tomorrow or Wednesday morning. It was nice that I got a chance to choose the new breed and talk with someone from the hatchery - she was really helpful in guiding my decision to pick something that would go well with the 2 others we were already getting.
Hatch day!
Today is the day that the little chicks are hatching. They will ship today or tomorrow. I should have them tomorrow or Wednesday. :) So excited! I called the post office - as they asked me to do - to give them the head's up that they will be on thier way (gave them my my phone number etc) and they will call when they arrive before they bring them out to the house to be sure I'm home.
My chicken license from the city came in over the weekend too (just in time)!
Now all we need are the baby chicks! YAY!
My chicken license from the city came in over the weekend too (just in time)!
Now all we need are the baby chicks! YAY!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Brooder ready!
My friend Kim and I visted Tractor Supply Co this morning. We both got our composters for our yards, and I finished the shopping for the baby chicks.
Everything is now all set up for the chicks to arrive. Getting the heat lamp set so the babies can be kept warm at the suggested 95 degrees - took a bit of creativity but we're all set to keep them warm and lower the heat each week by raising the heat lamp.
Just a few more days now. :)
Everything is now all set up for the chicks to arrive. Getting the heat lamp set so the babies can be kept warm at the suggested 95 degrees - took a bit of creativity but we're all set to keep them warm and lower the heat each week by raising the heat lamp.
Just a few more days now. :)
Friday, June 11, 2010
~4 days until chicks.
Key West.
That's where it started, the fascination and interest in chickens. I was very interested in the chickens wandering the streets and just loved to watch them being themselves.
We live in the city of Rochester, NY. You don't see live chickens here. I thought it would be neat if we could see them like we did in Key West - just wandering and being themselves. At the time we lived on a corner lot and really could not keep chickens with out worrying that passers by might hurt them. Then we moved. We have a big backyard now, and plenty of room for them to roam without being disturbed. Can you even have chickens in the city? Yes, you can. And so the idea started to take hold. Chickens, a low-maintenance 'pet' that gives back. Hmmm...
And so it began...
The months of research, applying for licensing, talking with other chiken owners, and finally... ordering chicks. Chickens eat bugs; I don't like bugs. Chickens lay eggs; I like eggs. Chickens are interesting and fun to watch. Why not?!
This coming Monday is a busy day for the soon to be hatched baby chicks. They will hatch on Monday, be vaccinated, and be sorted out (breeds, genders etc) and be sent out to their new homes. I should have the baby chicks on Tuesday or Wednesday.
This is their story. This is our story. This is the story of the two worlds coming together. It should be interesting to see what happens!
I am finishing supply shopping tomorrow. We are ready for baby chicks.
Just a few more days...
That's where it started, the fascination and interest in chickens. I was very interested in the chickens wandering the streets and just loved to watch them being themselves.
We live in the city of Rochester, NY. You don't see live chickens here. I thought it would be neat if we could see them like we did in Key West - just wandering and being themselves. At the time we lived on a corner lot and really could not keep chickens with out worrying that passers by might hurt them. Then we moved. We have a big backyard now, and plenty of room for them to roam without being disturbed. Can you even have chickens in the city? Yes, you can. And so the idea started to take hold. Chickens, a low-maintenance 'pet' that gives back. Hmmm...
And so it began...
The months of research, applying for licensing, talking with other chiken owners, and finally... ordering chicks. Chickens eat bugs; I don't like bugs. Chickens lay eggs; I like eggs. Chickens are interesting and fun to watch. Why not?!
This coming Monday is a busy day for the soon to be hatched baby chicks. They will hatch on Monday, be vaccinated, and be sorted out (breeds, genders etc) and be sent out to their new homes. I should have the baby chicks on Tuesday or Wednesday.
This is their story. This is our story. This is the story of the two worlds coming together. It should be interesting to see what happens!
I am finishing supply shopping tomorrow. We are ready for baby chicks.
Just a few more days...
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