Tell me about your chicks.

[jeepguy982001]

lol they do grow so fast. but the funniest thing is putting a plate with scrambled egg or some treat and one picks it up and the rest chase it even though the plates full.

 

[idispatch4911]

Oh YA! I forgot! The kids love finding bugs outside for the fuzzy butts and watching the chase!

 

[123ChickieLou]

My favorite part is how cute and sweet they are. Watching their little personalities develop and watching them grow. It's cute to watch them try to act big.

My least favorite part is the smell and all the poop. The pooping in the water is the worst. I put clean water down, come back in 5 and its been pooped in again. The smell is horrendous and if they weren't so cute and didn't posses the ability to make food for me.....

 

[Desirai]

Hahaha! What about those water droppers like you give to hamsters and gerbils? Can chickens learn to drink from them? It would eliminate poop-in-water

 

[azygous]

I love watching them romp with each other. Most important thing I've learned is to get at least four chicks when acquiring new additions, since that number seems to be the tipping point for being able to hold their own against the adult flock when merged.

A few of you have mentioned hating the problem of shavings in the water. I solved that early on by slipping a stick through slots cut into my brooder near the top and suspending the water bottle from it, getting it up off the floor and out out the shavings. I stick the bottle in a net bag that clementine oranges come in and fasten it at the neck with wire twisted tightly. That gives you a way to suspend it.

 

[Tenneesse]

Well we let them range with mom after the first week so watching them as the hen teaches them the ropes is fun. We don't really have a down side. At the hatch with in the first hour we introduce them to the food and water and from that moment on they come from under mom and feed and drink as they feel the need. They scratch, peck and learn to dirt bath just like momma does. It amazes me how close they stay with the hen when outside in the yard. Where ever she is be sure they are very close by. We only have one chick with a hen. We have 3 hens and 2 have their little ones. The 3rd hen has grown from hatch to a fine looking gal and started laying 19 days ago. She is 5 months old and lays like clock work. The current chicks are 5 weeks old both hatched Oct 11 and we call them Boo and Spooky

This is Speckles and her little Spooky one at 2 weeks old

This is Chilibean and her little one Boo hatched the same day as Spooky

This is the Cowboy and his first little one Jazzmin who is now 5 months old and is such a beautiful girl and has been laying now for 19 days. She was hatched by Speckles so Spooky is her little sister. He is a fine Rooster loves his gals and is very protective of the little ones to.

They are Columbian Cochins and though were black and white there is a buff gene that is now appearing. Cowboy showed a hint of buff in the spring and is now about 50%. The black is being dominated by the buff color I am also seeing shades of buff in the hens now.

 

[idispatch4911]

azygous - I like your idea of using plastic netting to suspend a regular waterer in the brooder. Since I've got 11 chicks + probably packing peanuts coming in a few weeks, I'll have to get my brooder set up like that!

 

[astrid.mary]

I love once they are all in the broody box all together and fuzzied up and they all peek out from under their electric mum when I check on them, they are just so gorgeous and cute it makes me melt

. And I love watching their adult colours come through as they get their big-bird feathers and the fact that they still don't mind being picked up for a cuddle and a scratch. (I am new to the joys (and sorrows) of hatching chicks).
I don't like when I go to put my older outside chicks to bed in their house and all but one goes in nicely and by the time I've got that last one rounded up and heading in to bed the rest have them have got bored of waiting and have all decided to run back out again

... this is usually repeated several times until I luck out and get last naughty chick in quickly before the others scatter or I get so frustrated that I just give up and try to remember to close the door before I go to bed when it is well dark.
Oh, and I also don't like that my young berry bushes are at the moment perfect young chicken height and after letting my outside chicks have the run of the garden this weekend I can no longer look forward to my summer berries! Most of the berries were still green so I hope out of spite that they all got tummy ache.

 

[NinnyGillaspie]

Hi yall, My husband and I are both caretaker type of personalities. I'm a nurse, he's a mechanic. We love the idea of loving and caring for nature's critters, That they are solely depending on us to feed and care for them. Even after putting the chicks outside, they are so happy to see Mom and Dad.

 

[cochunk]

i love how they are so fluffy and like to cuddle into your shoulder and sleep. cleaning after their droppings was not so fun