Pattycat
In the Brooder
So I am brand new to chicken raising. My husband remembers a lot from his childhood, but not I. I am a city girl. I had a horse,for a while growing up and am a good rider, but mom was the primary care giver of the horse, so barn animals are new to me. How are we accidental chicken owners, here is how it went.
About four weeks ago my children were swimming in the pool and a baby gambel quail ran up to my son and tried to cuddle his leg like it would its mother. We did not touch the chicky, but gave him a box to walk into to protect from predators. We left the quail alone in the backyard for hours until a huge thunderstorm came in and we saved him from it. So we made a little bed for him in our bathtub for the night and tried again in the morning. Our neighbor came to us with tears in her eyes and told us that her dogs had ravaged a nest in her yard and there were baby chicks all over the yard. We decided that we would try to raise baby chicky by ourselves as momma wasn't the smartest bird in the area. So about a week after we had him we realized that little chicky was lonely and looked really bad. We were feeding him game bird food and giving him local weeds as we are in AZ and the bird is native. Long story short, we got some baby chicks to live with him.
Our chicks look to be about 5 weeks and baby quail is about 4 weeks old. He loves the people in the house, but has taken to me especially. He flew on my shoulder last night while I was changing water and food. he looks happy but I wonder if I made the right choice. Our little buff colored chicks have taken to letting him tuck inside their wings at night. I have no idea what kind of chicks we have as I went to the local farm supply store to get them. They are sweet though. We have two buff colored chicks, two tan chicks with buff colored chests, (that the feathers are coming in a darker red) and two black chicks, one with white markings on her wings and one with a red coloring on its wings.
My husband and I are the parents of six children, four adopted. We also have 4 dogs and four cats. Hubby is retired Army and works as a heavy duty vehicle mechanic and I am a Child and Family Therapist, but am currently on sabbatical because of the adoption of the four children. I am looking forward to our new adventure. We have discussed at length what our chicken's role will be for our family. We have decided, and this has been a long discussion, that they will be egg layers, When they no longer can lay, they will become stew chickens. I feel a little bad for doing that, but I know that raising chickens for years after they are done laying will not be feasible.
Thanks so much for reading my LONG intro!
About four weeks ago my children were swimming in the pool and a baby gambel quail ran up to my son and tried to cuddle his leg like it would its mother. We did not touch the chicky, but gave him a box to walk into to protect from predators. We left the quail alone in the backyard for hours until a huge thunderstorm came in and we saved him from it. So we made a little bed for him in our bathtub for the night and tried again in the morning. Our neighbor came to us with tears in her eyes and told us that her dogs had ravaged a nest in her yard and there were baby chicks all over the yard. We decided that we would try to raise baby chicky by ourselves as momma wasn't the smartest bird in the area. So about a week after we had him we realized that little chicky was lonely and looked really bad. We were feeding him game bird food and giving him local weeds as we are in AZ and the bird is native. Long story short, we got some baby chicks to live with him.
Our chicks look to be about 5 weeks and baby quail is about 4 weeks old. He loves the people in the house, but has taken to me especially. He flew on my shoulder last night while I was changing water and food. he looks happy but I wonder if I made the right choice. Our little buff colored chicks have taken to letting him tuck inside their wings at night. I have no idea what kind of chicks we have as I went to the local farm supply store to get them. They are sweet though. We have two buff colored chicks, two tan chicks with buff colored chests, (that the feathers are coming in a darker red) and two black chicks, one with white markings on her wings and one with a red coloring on its wings.
My husband and I are the parents of six children, four adopted. We also have 4 dogs and four cats. Hubby is retired Army and works as a heavy duty vehicle mechanic and I am a Child and Family Therapist, but am currently on sabbatical because of the adoption of the four children. I am looking forward to our new adventure. We have discussed at length what our chicken's role will be for our family. We have decided, and this has been a long discussion, that they will be egg layers, When they no longer can lay, they will become stew chickens. I feel a little bad for doing that, but I know that raising chickens for years after they are done laying will not be feasible.
Thanks so much for reading my LONG intro!
and Welcome To BYC! Nice intro! You can post pictures of your chicks in the What Breed / Gender forum for help with figuring out what you have 
