They grow so fast :(

[ShrekDawg]

I feel like I haven't spent like any time with my chicks... I did a ton the first few days or week but then now I feel like I haven't been. I've just been making constant adjustments (right now working on new brooder in the garage) or riding the bus to get more supplies or whatever and when I'm not doing that I'm just.. Doing other things. I don't know. Just not with them. Part of it is maybe cause it was suggested I leave them be for a bit and let them be chicks but then I don't think that's the main reason. I change their water or put them to bed but that's like it. It's ridiculous. And I want to spend time with them but I don't know... I just haven't. And this brooder in the garage needs to get done so they can move out, though it really doesn't take that much time (just putting wire up) but even before yesterday and today I just haven't been with them much. And it sucks because I WANT to be with them and thought I would constantly but I just haven't and I don't know why but it's not that I've lost interest because when I'm with them I still really enjoy it so I don't know what my problem is... And they are growing so fast. They turned a week old Monday so will be two weeks this coming Monday and they already look so much bigger and starting to stand more upright lately (that must be new, don't even remember when it happened, it just did one day ) and they fly all over the place. They're growing so fast and I'm missing it.. Anyone else feel like they don't spend near enough time with their chicks or am I just a bad chick owner

 

[IceAngel]

I think you are a wonderful chick owner. I hatch mine, make sure they are clean and have food and water each day and that's it. You are right they grow up fast. Pretty soon they will be off to college and you will wonder how quickly time flies, lol.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Cheer up, those who are standing the most upright are likely little cockerels.

Your right, so many things for the new owner to learn and so little time in which to learn it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks so much you guys.

Thats pretty much what I do except that I got mine from a hatchery instead of hatching them. And theyre a tiny bit behind on changing out the bedding but I did add fresh just the other day and they are hopefully moving.out tomorrow so bigger pool and fresh shavings anyway. I want mine to be pets too though or at least friendly which is another reason Im more upset about not spending more time with them. Guess I still have plenty of time.though and I have been feeding them from my hand when I am up there. they come running now when I say "here chick chick chick" even without food, though I usually have to say it repeatedly to convince everybody. And without food they usually run away when they fund out but some are starting to stay. And they still take.off when i try to grab them but i guess it all takes time. The EEs have feathered out the fastest, they have almost all the wing feathers and are flying all over the brooder, another reason they need a bigger one.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I think you are a wonderful chick owner.  I hatch mine, make sure they are clean and have food and water each day and that's it.  You are right they grow up fast.  Pretty soon they will be off to college and you will wonder how quickly time flies, lol.

Cheer up, those who are standing the most upright are likely little cockerels.

Your right, so many things for the new owner to learn and so little time in which to learn it.

Thank you. I hope theyre not cockerals. although theyre actually not staying upright (at least I dont think so), its more theyre starting to stretch up to look now instead of just being so short although some do it and.some.dont. and.one if the EEs is very loud sometimes or protests being held the most and they bith have almost full wings and are starting to get tail tufts (thougg one BA I tgink is too but more scruffy) so I hope none are roos as I wont be able to keep them. not big combs or wattles yet though so hopefully they are just spirited and extremely curious lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

Whoa spelling errors. Sorry. desktop view on mobile doesn't allow autocorrect so harder to catch them as I don't tend to look at it and correct for myself.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Learn by mixing up a dab of food coloring in a spray bottle then use this mixture to tag all the wee chicks that you think belong to the fairer sex.

Then also mark the little hens.... LOL just kidding you. In a month or two you can score yourself on your ability to determine a young pullet from a juvenile roo.

Don't sweat the 'spealing' the G key and the I key is right next to the H and the O key. So in fact you were in the correct neighborhood. Typing is like tossing horse shoes & hand grenades, you just got to get close.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That's a great idea, thank you!! I'll have to try that.

Then I wouldn't be able to tell them apart lol maybe different colors. Or maybe I will try this also to tell the chicks apart. I still have a ton of trouble with the buffs as the others at least have different markings, like EE's are drastically different, only one BR now ( ), the BA's are slightly different sizes but also starting to get different colors and also have different "mascara" on the face, but the BOs are all exactly the same and solid colors so sooooo hard to tell apart. I'm starting to be able to tell though because they're starting to be slightly different sizes too and one's a tad skinnier/more upright (but not completely or roo like. Someone said all their extras were Leghorns but it looks the same as the BOs so we will see) but it still very very hard to tell apart. So I may have to use that dye thing on them. or leg ties.

So far though I've only seen one potential roo. I thought one.or two of the BRs maybe cause their combs seemed big from first few days but haven't grown so I'm writing it off as BRs maybe just have bigger combs.

I hope I am wrong and have no roos.

And thank you very much. glad it's not a big deal, I thought it was pretty embarrassing haha

And LOL true!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

A little "ranging" while I clean their brooder. Don't worry, I set up a mini "barricade" so they can't get to the dangerous parts of the bathroom lol they're moving out soon too. They refused to stay in the cat carrier so I compromised.

Just spread some more on the ground in between typing so it's a little more like foraging and a little less like piling in the feeder. Lol and so everyone can get some.

 

[IceAngel]

This so reminds me of the time I had my brooder box in the bathroom. Actually it was more like a brooder refridgerator box, lol. I cut down the seam of two of the sides just so I could bend the cardboard enough to put down fresh water. Often I would leave the top off so that there was good ventilation and light. I had this frisky turkey chick that would bombard the cut side, eventually it would flop over ....and he would jump/fly out.....right into the toilet bowl. There he would cheep until someone came for him. I would have to put him back into the incubator for a few hours just to warm him up and dry him out.