Raising our first batch. (A kid's journey)

[Jensownzoo]

I have a group of EEs, both pullets and cockerels. Two of the cockerels are in with the laying flock as they have proven to be very good watchers while the ladies are free ranging. Another one of the cockerels has a bit of a Napoleon complex...smaller than everyone else, but acts like the biggest male in the coop, while actually being a less effective roo. I'll probably try to rehome him...he is a handsome boy and probably just needs to mature a bit more. Some of the pullets are almost old enough to join the laying flock and I picked up four more chicks at the farm store a few weeks back. I like the breed so far.

I have Golden Buffs in my laying flock...they've been very sweet tempered and prolific layers. One of them has been broody since she started laying two months ago, so I finally caved and gave her three Black Australorp chicks to raise. She is loving being a mommy. Didn't want her to hatch pullet eggs since they have a high incidence of chick problems (thanks to irregularities in the immature egg-production anatomy), but I didn't mind adding a few BAs to the flock.

I do have two Polish that are pretty much grown (golden laced blacks) and a handful more in the brooder. I had more, but a predator got them during a coop break-in. I have had issues getting the white-capped Polish to survive--I don't know if they're naturally more fragile or if I've run into a bad genetic line, but none of them made it to 8 weeks. The ones in the brooder are WC blues, so I'm having one last go at it. The two grown ones I have loved perching on my hand/wrist while still in the brooder and would fly up to it when offered.

If I ever get a mean roo, he's getting butchered and fed to the dogs since I'm a vegetarian. I figure they have a pretty nice life with me up until that point, so I think I can do it without too much guilt. Nice roos can try to get rehomed if I have too many, but I don't want to pass the mean ones on to be someone else's problem.

 

[kajira]

Here's some new pics!! I went upstairs last night and thought I *lost* one of the chickens and was FREAKING out... until I found her.

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(I change their bedding 2-3x a day, and went up there before bed. They like to sit on that one piece of paper towels... which makes cleanup easier, they are good birdies! LOL) Anyways, I counted 7. Started freaking out about where the other one was.

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Finally found her. I put the empty paper towel rolls in there, since I can just throw them away if they get too dirty, they like to sit on them and push them around.. she was hiding inside of it.

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[kajira]

I have a group of EEs, both pullets and cockerels. Two of the cockerels are in with the laying flock as they have proven to be very good watchers while the ladies are free ranging. Another one of the cockerels has a bit of a Napoleon complex...smaller than everyone else, but acts like the biggest male in the coop, while actually being a less effective roo. I'll probably try to rehome him...he is a handsome boy and probably just needs to mature a bit more. Some of the pullets are almost old enough to join the laying flock and I picked up four more chicks at the farm store a few weeks back. I like the breed so far.

I have Golden Buffs in my laying flock...they've been very sweet tempered and prolific layers. One of them has been broody since she started laying two months ago, so I finally caved and gave her three Black Australorp chicks to raise. She is loving being a mommy. Didn't want her to hatch pullet eggs since they have a high incidence of chick problems (thanks to irregularities in the immature egg-production anatomy), but I didn't mind adding a few BAs to the flock.

I do have two Polish that are pretty much grown (golden laced blacks) and a handful more in the brooder. I had more, but a predator got them during a coop break-in. I have had issues getting the white-capped Polish to survive--I don't know if they're naturally more fragile or if I've run into a bad genetic line, but none of them made it to 8 weeks. The ones in the brooder are WC blues, so I'm having one last go at it. The two grown ones I have loved perching on my hand/wrist while still in the brooder and would fly up to it when offered.

If I ever get a mean roo, he's getting butchered and fed to the dogs since I'm a vegetarian. I figure they have a pretty nice life with me up until that point, so I think I can do it without too much guilt. Nice roos can try to get rehomed if I have too many, but I don't want to pass the mean ones on to be someone else's problem.

Sounds like a plan. Apparently our boy is doing his job, my daughter was checking the eggs they made this morning for breakfast to make sure they'd been fertilized. They found some bullseyes, so once the eggs are a little older/bigger i'll let her try to hatch a couple.

 

[Kiki]

You have very cute chicks.
I'd like to follow your journey!

 

[kajira]

You have very cute chicks.
I'd like to follow your journey!

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these are from tonight. They were obsessed with their shadows on the wall.

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I got to appreciate their bin being clean.. for 5 minutes.

I find chickens so entertaining. LOL

So far, we have Hershey - the chocolate colored one - Ginger, the red colored one. Thing 1 and thing 2 - the Roosters with green markings on their head.... Astrid is the spotted one. Pretty Girl is the silver-gray colored one... and I haven't named the 2 yellow females yet. Both are skittish and peck alot meaner than the rest.

 

[Kiki]

How old are they now?

I love the different colors you have. Mine look like this..



One yellowish one on the left..the one is the back is more reddish/brownish and the one on the right is chipmunk looking!
2 days old

 

[Kiki]

You know that they are going to start flying any day now right?
i just watch the vid...I love the gray one!

 

[kajira]

You know that they are going to start flying any day now right?
i just watch the vid...I love the gray one!

They are ten days old - I have a big wire dog crate that I'm going to move them too in a few days. they dont' go out of their way to try to get out yet, but the first sign of escape, and I'll move them to the wire pen. It's tall enough that I could probably even put a roosting bar in there for them.

 

[Kiki]

They are ten days old - I have a big wire dog crate that I'm going to move them too in a few days. they dont' go out of their way to try to get out yet, but the first sign of escape, and I'll move them to the wire pen. It's tall enough that I could probably even put a roosting bar in there for them.

Great!
That is what I have my chicks in now...with a stick for a roosting bar even though they can't use it yet!
I like to be prepared! lol

 

[KoopOnTruckin]

They are ten days old - I have a big wire dog crate that I'm going to move them too in a few days. they dont' go out of their way to try to get out yet, but the first sign of escape, and I'll move them to the wire pen. It's tall enough that I could probably even put a roosting bar in there for them.

I have some of mine out in a dog crate that's wrapped in chicken wire to keep them in, and that's in a coop with bigger chickens so they get used to their future environment. It's a handy way to keep them contained, and easy to move if needed. Glad I'm not the only one doing that!

Great video, so cute!!