Growing up

Our little chicks are a bit over 3 weeks old now, and not little any longer. So far they have been living in safe and secure shop/shed in a large horse feeder with a fan during the day and a heat lamp during the night. Like all young animals it is eating, drinking, pooping, sleeping, with the occasional wild hair to chase a bug or try-out of wings.

Yesterday we heard an overly loud peep and found one chick missing. Marilyn had flown the tub and was hiding behind the tool chest. Obviously it was time to move.

In introducing a new flock to the older hens before, I divided the coop in half with chicken wire so everybody could see each other but there was no direct contact. It was a successful scheme so I had already prepared the coop and this morning we were ready to bring the chicks to bigger quarters.

Most of their down has now been replaced with feathers, and I think they will be beautiful birds once past this awkward adolescent stage. I like this breed because you will be able to tell the hens apart, and they have already all been named. They are changing so quickly now though that it is sometime difficult to say who is who.

Lily

Cindy

Layla

The new quarters.