Chicken Chatten's Flock

[holm25]

Your Welcome!!!!!!!!

 

[ChickenChatten]

Now on to the chicks!

If it's even right to call them chicks any more; these gangley, feathery messes certainly can't be the sweet tiny chicks I fell in love with a mere 4 weeks ago!



Ah, I finally got a good shot of Andromeda! Andromeda is one of my biggest chicks, and while she used to be sweet and friendly, now if I so much as move my hand near her she will screech in horror and run away from me.

After inspecting Bonquesha's photo today I am positive that she is a he. With so many dark feathers growing every where, I believe all of my hope is gone that he could possibly be a pullet.



Coriander is still lovely of course. It seems with every week she doesn't appear any uglier, but even more pretty! I am really adoring my Cochins!



Ivy is developing feathers so paaainfully slowly I can't stand it. In better news, her comb is still very small and pale.



Lily is my only friendly Olive Egger. She has the softest feathers! I'm also very curious as to how she's feathering in. If you look by her shoulders you can see some white coming in, and I'm beginning to wonder if she's going to be barred. I could easily be wrong, I know nothing of barred chickens, but it would be a nice surprise!



As sure as I am that Bonquesha is a cockerel, I'm just as positive that Meringue is a pullet. What gorgeous colors Salmon Faverolles are!



Olive with a very stern look on her face. Olive is also my only Olive Egger who has feathered legs! Yep! If you look closely sure enough you can see the gray fuzz on her legs.



Here is the most recent photo of my biggest mystery. Odd little Ophelia is definitely not feathering in any salmon colors! On the other hand, only a few black splotches are visible here and there. My gosh Ophie, what ARE you??



Last but not least is the stunning Willow! I am SO SO SO in love with these Cochins! For their looks and their personalities, I cannot get enough of them!

 

[ChickenChatten]

And the chicks are yet another week older. Here they are at five weeks! Excuse the blurriness of the the pictures, none of my chicks were standing still for me and I was short on time.



Out of all of my chicks, it's a tie between Andromeda and Ophelia over who hates me the most. When I pick her up she screams and wails, but I can't help admiring her pretty feathers.



Bonquesha is certainly in need of a new name...



Coriander has reduced to become a pile of fluffy and feathers.



Ivy had a very sudden growth burst! While she is still significantly smaller than her other broodmates, she is looking the same age as them as far as feather development goes, now.



Lily really stands apart from the other Olive Eggers, while they're almost identical, she's a whole different color.



I love the colors on Meringue!



Olive standing as tall and proud as ever.




I'm having more hope that Ophelia is female. I just don't understand what color she is supposed to be....



Ah, my lovely Willow!

In other news, Shaq is handling his seperation from the flock fairly well. He is still healthy, eating and drinking, but when the hens cluck over there or sing the egg song he goes a little bonkers, pacing back and forth and back and forth along the fence-line, even though he should know by now that he's not getting to them.

The hens however are MUCH happier without him. They're feathers are growing back in and they will happily roam the run without the fear of Shaq coming after them. They've even become friendlier to me! When I come to the gate to their run they all sprint over in hopes I have some food for them.

 

[ChickenChatten]

The chicks have officially moved out of the brooder! We started taking them outside Monday evening, and boy did they love it! We had them in the hen's run, my hens put themselves to bed pretty early. We split apart the run today, and from now until the chicks are old enough to move in with the hens, they'll be staying in there. They have a large igloo doghouse for shelter to stay in at night. It's been getting pretty hot out during the day, but the chicks are much happier outside with a breeze than inside a heated garage.

The hens seem to have little interest in the chicks, and the chicks have even littler interest in them. With the exception of Eowyn that is.



Eowyn is my very friendly White Jersey Giant hen. I have NEVER seen her pick on another hen, and they leave her alone as well. She was also the only hen who I never saw Shaq have his way with. She isn't that fond of me, unfortunately, but we respect each other's distances.

She will just stand at the fence dividing her and the chicks and watch them quietly. I think she would like to adopt them.

I'll be sure to get some pictures soon!

 

[holm25]

The chicks have officially moved out of the brooder! We started taking them outside Monday evening, and boy did they love it! We had them in the hen's run, my hens put themselves to bed pretty early. We split apart the run today, and from now until the chicks are old enough to move in with the hens, they'll be staying in there. They have a large igloo doghouse for shelter to stay in at night. It's been getting pretty hot out during the day, but the chicks are much happier outside with a breeze than inside a heated garage.

The hens seem to have little interest in the chicks, and the chicks have even littler interest in them. With the exception of Eowyn that is.



Eowyn is my very friendly White Jersey Giant hen. I have NEVER seen her pick on another hen, and they leave her alone as well. She was also the only hen who I never saw Shaq have his way with. She isn't that fond of me, unfortunately, but we respect each other's distances.

She will just stand at the fence dividing her and the chicks and watch them quietly. I think she would like to adopt them.

I'll be sure to get some pictures soon!

 

[ChickenChatten]

These will be the chicks' first photos outside! It was rather difficult to get a picture of them in the position that they usually are in for their photos. I'm overall happy with their photos though. Anyhow, they're now six weeks old!



Andromeda!



So it turns out, I was completely wrong about Bonquesha! She actually is a pullet, much to my relief! I posted pictures of her, Ophelia, and Meringue on here and was informed that they were all pullets. I see it now! She doesn't have nearly as much black feathers as I thought she was going to.



Coriander was absolutely not having her picture taken today



I'm having more and more faith that Ivy is pullet.



In addition to barred pattern that Lily has around her neck, she also is getting in a kind of golden color, you can't see it well in the picture though.



Meringue has become such a sweet adorable little chick. When I enter the run she comes running out to see me.



Olive always has such a stern look on her face.



Ophelia is such a cutie!



Willow wasn't very interested in pictures today either.



My other Jersey Giant hen, Amarillo inspects the new additions.



The hens watch from a distance.



Remember Sapphire? She was my sick hen who was in quarantine for awhile. I'm pleased to say that she's basically fully recovered now! Unfortunately, she's no longer laying, which is a shame; she laid a gorgeous color, but that's okay, she doesn't have to worry about us eating her!

Eowyn sneaks into her picture.



Did you mention my name???

Eowyn was very curious about the camera.



My three Easter Eggers, foraging together.



A close-up of little Rosemary.

Thanks for reading!

 

[ChickenChatten]

Today the chicks experienced their first rainstorm! They were thankfully smart enough to go and seek shelter in the dog house during it, so they wouldn't get wet; but after the skies cleared, they weren't sure what to do with the wet ground.



Slowly the venture out, only to recede back inside the safety of the chick-house.



While the majority of the chicks struggle with the idea of leaving their warm home, Lily is off once again enjoying the wonders of wet soil without her broodmates.




Taking after her lead, the rest of the chicks slowly exit.




This isn't so bad!

Ivy, Coriander and Olive decide that this would be a spectacular opportunity for a preening session.




Bonquesha has become much friendlier lately.



And Meringue has gotten into the habit of following me around the yard like a puppy and then circling my feet; begging to be held.



Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, the hens know exactly what to do after a storm.




Eowyn may truly never be clean again.

Amarillo follows her lead.




Peaches, my third Easter Egger strongly disagrees with the Jersey Giants.



How vile!



No, Peaches is much too pristine for such filthy activities.




Considering that Peaches is the ruler of the Easter Egger Clan, Sapphire and Rosemary do not dust bathe without her consent.

The three of them watch Shaq through the fence.



Shaq is undisturbed by their silly drama.

 

[holm25]

 

[ChickenChatten]

Today the chicks are seven weeks old!

Is it still fitting to call them chicks? I'm not sure!

Anyhow, they've gotten to the age in which they don't change much from week to week, but are slowly slowly growing in size.

Starting us off as always is Andromeda. Andromeda has been much more friendly lately; though she isn't nearly as affectionate as Meringue or Willow, its a vast improvement!



Bonquesha has a very nice new beard.



I've had a real problem getting nice pictures of Coriander lately.



I'm much more hopeful that Ivy is a pullet now.



Lily is always able to strike a pose.



Ah, Meringue is so cute!!



Olive is looking very hen-ish lately if that's a term.



Ophelia has a very oddly colored head; it's very unique about her!



Willow!



I can't believe their seven weeks old already!

 

[holm25]

Today the chicks are seven weeks old!

Is it still fitting to call them chicks? I'm not sure!

Anyhow, they've gotten to the age in which they don't change much from week to week, but are slowly slowly growing in size.

Starting us off as always is Andromeda. Andromeda has been much more friendly lately; though she isn't nearly as affectionate as Meringue or Willow, its a vast improvement!



Bonquesha has a very nice new beard.



I've had a real problem getting nice pictures of Coriander lately.



I'm much more hopeful that Ivy is a pullet now.



Lily is always able to strike a pose.



Ah, Meringue is so cute!!



Olive is looking very hen-ish lately if that's a term.



Ophelia has a very oddly colored head; it's very unique about her!



Willow!



I can't believe their seven weeks old already!