Baby Chicks Arrived!

[April Barta]

How I miss those tiny fluffy chicks! Mine are almost 3 weeks old and don't look like that anymore. So adorable! I found that none of mine had Pasty butt that blocked their vent, but I did have a few that had poop stuck to their butt fuzz. So I did clean a few butts daily for almost a week. It slowed down quite a bit towards the end of a week and now I think I grabbed one that needed a little attention. I do ACV in their water which I heard helps. I visit my girls in the garage 3-5 times a day. Clean out their water and refill their food. I put my arms in and let the super friendly ones fly up onto my arms and say hi. There are a few birds that want nothing to do with me unless I have treats like scrambled eggs. I think letting them hear your voice, see your face and handling helps keep that "pet" friendship while they grow up. I use specific words and tones with them. So when I come into the garage I say "Hey hens!" and they come out and look up over the ledge waiting for me. It is adorable. Then when I feed them treats I call them with a "chook chook" sound.

They were in my house for almost two weeks and most of them were really good at going to bed. I put a blanket over the sides to help create "dark" and they quieted down and went to bed. I remember the first night wondering if they all died! Its stressful being a first time chickie mommy. Have fun and enjoy those adorable babies!

 

[Enchanted1s]

I think it’s so cute that she is so attached to you.

It's funny - the main reason I paid the amount I did for shipping was so I could have chicks that would come when called, allow me to handle them and like me! I REALLY wanted this to happen, but I did NOT expect it to happen so quickly!

I told myself I was NOT going to have a 'favorite'! She is making that impossible! I knew, the second I laid eyes on her - but I always have been a sucker for the runt!

 

[Enchanted1s]

Just thought I would post a little update on our babies. They are now a week old! As of 6am they will have been with us for a week. They continue to eat, sleep, poop and grow - so I guess they are doing well.

I completely redid the brooder after the first day. Changed from the wire cage to a plastic tub. Found a red incandescent light bulb so they aren't scared in the dark. The Chick Dripper waterer finally arrived (although they have yet to try it). Gracey and Buffey already have the beginnings of their tail feathers and their wings are growing so fast - it's almost as if you are literally watching the feathers grow. Oh yes, I added two cameras so we can check in on them from anywhere. And, of course, they are just so darn cute!

 

[pasuit]

Thank you all for answering all of my questions while we stressed out awaiting the arrival of our three female babies. I was able to pick them up at the post office at about 0615 this morning. All three were chirping loudly when I arrived at the Post Office! Now they are eating and drinking in their new home. Two Cream Legbar's and one Buff Orpington. View attachment 1198458 View attachment 1198459 View attachment 1198458 View attachment 1198459 View attachment 1198462

 

[pasuit]

SOOOOOOOOO cute.













s

 

[Enchanted1s]

I will be taking the babies 2 week pictures in a bit. Thought this thread would be a good place to keep track of raising these three.

So, it did not take long to see that they were wasting as much food as they were eating. I had just finished reading a thread here about a bucket feeder with street elbows to eliminate the wasting of food. I made two of these 5 gallon bucket feeders, with three feeding ports on each, for the outside chickens. I wondered why not build one (on a smaller basis) for the babies! Then, when they are big enough to go outside - they will already be use to sticking their heads inside the feeder to eat. So, I made a trip to Home Depot and bought 1 ½ inch street elbow, and used a Folgers coffee can for their feeder. The LOVE it. The have also gotten use to their little chick dripper waterer. The LOVE to play with it too. Then, yesterday, I realize that there is just no room for them to play in this tiny plastic bin brooder. They are doubling their size every week - they need more room. So, I added a second plastic bin and built a wooden tunnel between the two. Now, they have their food and water in one bin and their heat plate and sleeping quarters on the other side. The tunnel makes a perfect spot for the Chicky Cams

Here's some pics of their new digs. I will get the 2 week old baby pictures posted tonight.

The 5 Gallon - No Waste Feeder
The Smaller version of the No Waste Feeder
The new 'empty' Condo.
The furnished Condo.

 

[Enchanted1s]

So - here are the babies 2 week pictures. They have doubled their weight since their one week weigh in. Sometimes, it seems as they are growing new feathers while I watch! Little Bit still seems smaller, and behind a bit - but she actually out weighed Buffey by a tiny bit! Little Bit is just beginning to show her tail feathers, while Gracey and Buffey have had tail feathers for a week. Both Gracey and Buffey now have clearly noticeable tail feathers, while Little Bit's are just barely starting to show. So much cuteness! I never would have guessed! Even with their awkward feathering - they are absolutely adorable!

BUFFEY - Buff Orpington - Hatched 27 November 2017 - Now 3.56oz

GRACEY - Cream Legbar - Hatched 27 November 2017 - Now 4.08oz

LITTLE BIT - Hatched 27 November 2017 - Now 3.64oz

 

[pasuit]

I will be taking the babies 2 week pictures in a bit. Thought this thread would be a good place to keep track of raising these three.

So, it did not take long to see that they were wasting as much food as they were eating. I had just finished reading a thread here about a bucket feeder with street elbows to eliminate the wasting of food. I made two of these 5 gallon bucket feeders, with three feeding ports on each, for the outside chickens. I wondered why not build one (on a smaller basis) for the babies! Then, when they are big enough to go outside - they will already be use to sticking their heads inside the feeder to eat. So, I made a trip to Home Depot and bought 1 ½ inch street elbow, and used a Folgers coffee can for their feeder. The LOVE it. The have also gotten use to their little chick dripper waterer. The LOVE to play with it too. Then, yesterday, I realize that there is just no room for them to play in this tiny plastic bin brooder. They are doubling their size every week - they need more room. So, I added a second plastic bin and built a wooden tunnel between the two. Now, they have their food and water in one bin and their heat plate and sleeping quarters on the other side. The tunnel makes a perfect spot for the Chicky Cams

Here's some pics of their new digs. I will get the 2 week old baby pictures posted tonight.

The 5 Gallon - No Waste Feeder View attachment 1208038
The Smaller version of the No Waste FeederView attachment 1208039
The new 'empty' Condo. View attachment 1208040
The furnished Condo. View attachment 1208041

 

[pasuit]

Great job.

 

[Enchanted1s]

*** 3 Week Update ***
Well, the babies are still so darn cute! They LOVE everything I built for them. All three of them seem to learn how to get their food and water pretty quickly. They are drinking lots of crystal clear distilled water from their chick dripper and are no longer wasting more food than they eat with their Folgers Feeder. In fact, the only waste of food now is when I spill it! They seem to REALLY enjoy running back and forth between the dining room and the bedroom - thru their tunnel. Unfortunately - I did not compensate for their rapid rate of growth when designing the tunnel ! I will have to raise the ceiling height of the tunnel to the maximum of the plastic tubs capacity soon - or they will have to learn to belly crawl through !

Here are their three week pictures

Buffey weighed in the lightest of the three. Again surprise to me.
She doubled her weight. 6.03oz


Little Bit also doubled her weight. She still has those bare spots on her wing joints. 6.21oz


Gracey did not quite double her weight but still the biggest. She is starting to show the little poof on her head. 6.51 oz