Chick raising Diary! 🐣 First time raising babies, with a first-time broody-mother (cute chick photos incoming!)

[Ambera]

Friday 29th September 2023

It was another weighing day today, I'm trying to weigh them every 2 days to keep an eye on Popcorn's development!

• Nugget: 68g (+8g)
• Lilac: 60g (+8g)
• Popcorn: 41g (+4g)

Pop hasn't put on much weight in the last two days, maybe as they put on more earlier in the week? The good news is I saw them drinking today without much weird head movements or gaping! Maybe it's sorted, maybe it's too soon to say?

All are eating, drinking and pooping well at least!

They had a nice easy day today, but they are getting quite adventourous! I have let them have a bit of an explore in the area just outside the run door - though it often ends up with me having to catch one or round one up!
They had their first proper scratch around in the dirt, as they are on hardware cloth and hay in the run really.

They also really like perching up high, so I've been adding more sticks.
The chicks did have a bit of a scare when the lawnmover appeared near them, but they just hid under mum and all was fine!

Still waiting for Popcorns real tail tuft and wing feathers to develop! They are struggling with keeping up with the other two chicks, for example jumping up onto things!

Nugget Age: 10 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 13 days
Highest daytime temperature: 17c (63f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 10c (50f)

 

[Ambera]

I'm almost going back on my previous guesses on their sexes! Going off this image and website:

Going by their feathering, rather than size or stance, it should put Lilac (and maybe Nugget who is half Pekin) as pullets.... and Popcorn as a cockerel?

I just can't wait to find out! Impatient!!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

and Popcorn as a cockerel?

 

[GreenJay]

I'm almost going back on my previous guesses on their sexes! Going off this image and website:

Going by their feathering, rather than size or stance, it should put Lilac (and maybe Nugget who is half Pekin) as pullets.... and Popcorn as a cockerel?

I just can't wait to find out! Impatient!!

Hmmm, could be?

Popcorn
Maybe she'll take after her name and suddenly pop up in size

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I'm almost going back on my previous guesses on their sexes! Going off this image and website:

Going by their feathering, rather than size or stance, it should put Lilac (and maybe Nugget who is half Pekin) as pullets.... and Popcorn as a cockerel?

I just can't wait to find out! Impatient!!

Yes I’ve raised 14 chicks and in my one batch of three chicks the two cockerels developed slower and were much smaller then my pullet! Hope popcorn will be ok!!!

 

[Ambera]

Saturday 30th September 2023

The two pure Pekins are now 2 weeks old! Nugget is 11 days old.
@Farmgirl283420 That's good to hear, hope it happens for us! I would love two hens!!

I gave them some scrambled egg yolk today, to try and see if it will help them grow and help Popcorn put on some weight! They loved it!
I first tried to give it just to Popcorn to start with by separating them in a tupeprware box, however they were just too stressed trying to escape. So I put it in the chick-crumb-mash bowl and let them have at it!
It was a bit of a scrum for the chicks getting the yolk, the two bigger chicks use their size to their advantange! Lily also enjoyed eating the yolk, doing the "Food song" for the chicks the whole time!

Nugget Age: 11 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 14 days
Highest daytime temperature: 17c (63f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 16c (60f) toasty!

 

[Ambera]

Sunday 1st October 2023

Weighing day today, the yolk yesterday seems to have worked some magic as they've put on a lot in the past 2 days! Or Nugget has just got greedy! I am expecting Nugget to start bulking out at some point though, as they are half-crossed with a full size hen!

• Nugget: 82g (+14g)
• Lilac: 70g (+10g)
• Popcorn: 51g (+10g)

Popcorns wing feathers are really coming through now, and they are looking a white colour so I expect our little corn kernel is popping and starting to turn white!

They are very adventorous, and the warm weather today brought it out of them more! They didn't need to huddle under mum for warmth, so they spent the day running/flapping around, climbing, playing chase and basically bouncing off the walls!

They accidentally got hold of a MASSIVE piece of corn, and were playing keepy-away with it for ages before I managed to get it off them! Lilac mostly had control of it, but cheeky popcorn managed to get it from them a few times! I was worried they'd choke if they ate it so it was a race against me and some very fast chicks! That run isn't easy to get into either, with just two openings (one is only like 40cm wide!) and a low ceiling.

I saw Popcorn dustbathing for the first time today! I topped up the sandpit and they were all over it, Popcorn had a good fluff around whilst I saw Lilac digging furiously! They may have already been dustbathing whilst I wasn't watching but it was the first time I saw it!

I've been letting Lily out for a few minutes each day, and feeding her layers pellets/corn outside the run as I can see she isn't getting enough food with just chick crumb/mash! She spends the first few minutes doing the "Food song" and trying to show the chicks before she tucks in to her meal and demolishes the pellets and corn. I'm also giving her tomatoes in the chicks run, which she enjoys feeding the seeds to the chicks.

Nugget Age: 12 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 15 days
Highest daytime temperature: 20c (63f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 15c (59f)

 

[GreenJay]

Popcorn is looking good!!

Of course the others are too

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Saturday 30th September 2023

The two pure Pekins are now 2 weeks old! Nugget is 11 days old.
@Farmgirl283420 That's good to hear, hope it happens for us! I would love two hens!!

View attachment 3649742View attachment 3649743

I gave them some scrambled egg yolk today, to try and see if it will help them grow and help Popcorn put on some weight! They loved it!
I first tried to give it just to Popcorn to start with by separating them in a tupeprware box, however they were just too stressed trying to escape. So I put it in the chick-crumb-mash bowl and let them have at it!
It was a bit of a scrum for the chicks getting the yolk, the two bigger chicks use their size to their advantange! Lily also enjoyed eating the yolk, doing the "Food song" for the chicks the whole time!

View attachment 3649745View attachment 3649746

Nugget Age: 11 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 14 days
Highest daytime temperature: 17c (63f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 16c (60f) toasty!

That’s too cute!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Sunday 1st October 2023

Weighing day today, the yolk yesterday seems to have worked some magic as they've put on a lot in the past 2 days! Or Nugget has just got greedy! I am expecting Nugget to start bulking out at some point though, as they are half-crossed with a full size hen!

• Nugget: 82g (+14g)
• Lilac: 70g (+10g)
• Popcorn: 51g (+10g)

View attachment 3649773

Popcorns wing feathers are really coming through now, and they are looking a white colour so I expect our little corn kernel is popping and starting to turn white!

View attachment 3649771

They are very adventorous, and the warm weather today brought it out of them more! They didn't need to huddle under mum for warmth, so they spent the day running/flapping around, climbing, playing chase and basically bouncing off the walls!

View attachment 3649760View attachment 3649761
View attachment 3649763View attachment 3649764

They accidentally got hold of a MASSIVE piece of corn, and were playing keepy-away with it for ages before I managed to get it off them! Lilac mostly had control of it, but cheeky popcorn managed to get it from them a few times! I was worried they'd choke if they ate it so it was a race against me and some very fast chicks! That run isn't easy to get into either, with just two openings (one is only like 40cm wide!) and a low ceiling.

I saw Popcorn dustbathing for the first time today! I topped up the sandpit and they were all over it, Popcorn had a good fluff around whilst I saw Lilac digging furiously! They may have already been dustbathing whilst I wasn't watching but it was the first time I saw it!

View attachment 3649770View attachment 3649767

I've been letting Lily out for a few minutes each day, and feeding her layers pellets/corn outside the run as I can see she isn't getting enough food with just chick crumb/mash! She spends the first few minutes doing the "Food song" and trying to show the chicks before she tucks in to her meal and demolishes the pellets and corn. I'm also giving her tomatoes in the chicks run, which she enjoys feeding the seeds to the chicks.

Nugget Age: 12 days
Lilac & Popcorn Age: 15 days
Highest daytime temperature: 20c (63f)
Overnight lowest outside temperature tonight: 15c (59f)

Glad popcorn it’s doing good! You take great pictures too!!!