Chicks for the first Time

[RoseMarie1]

I wasn't too concerned about mine flying the coop.

They were housed in the dining room. They'd jump out, and when they got tired of exploring the dining room, they'd jump back into the box. My husband didn't find it as amusing as I did. Nor did he find it amusing they'd sometimes jump out of the box after me. He flipped the lids on the top of the box up and taped them all together at an inward angle, which made it a bit harder for them to jump on. But then they just plain old got too big and flew the coop anyways. I had fun with it, but my husband's such a party pooper.

lol you're a hoot! I love it! I think your husband and mine must be brothers!

lol

 

[RoseMarie1]

My babies are learning to roost!

that's precious!!! that's it! I am making mine a roost TOMORROW! lol

 

[RoseMarie1]

I will say I am thankful I have a basement, as I've kept our babies indoors since day one of getting them. Dust gets EVERYwhere, coats EVERYthing, and I'm dreading cleaning after we move them out to their coop and pasture next weekend. Ours are now 5 weeks old - I can already see combs and wattles developing on the boys, everyone roosts instead of sleeping on the ground, and I've gotten their heat lamp regulated to 73-75 degrees. This week is projected to be around 80 on average here, and in the basement it stays around 63 all day/night. I'll probably be taking them all out tomorrow in a circular poultry-wire enclosure while I'm out digging in the garden for some sun, fresh air, and scratched-up treats.

Everyone's babies are ADORABLE!!!

P.S. - the little boogers - all 30 of them - have been getting adventurous and flying up more than 2 feet to the edge of our brooder box to perch during the day. All day today as I was running back and forth with the laundry, I'd peek in that side of the basement and see every last one of them perched, snoozing or chirping back and forth with one another ("Alright guys, who's brave enough to go first? We've got a WHOLE ROOM of uncharted territory to explore! I'm too chicken to go first").

LOL I got a visual of this! that is soooo funny!

 

[RoseMarie1]

You guys are too cute. I love reading threads with first-timers. I remember those days.

Let me tell you, my basement is still covered in chick dust. I hatch, clean it up, then hatch some more. It's a never-ending cycle it seems. Ah well...

And I'll tell you another secret (shhhh) Don't tell your husband how many chickens you actually have!

At one point I had almost 200. We're 'way down in numbers now, only about 30 or so, as both my "chore helpers" have grown up and are away at college. But someday I'll have grandkids and we'll get the numbers back up again.

Man I NEED a basement! I dread moving mine to the chicken pen. I might have to sleep out there with them the first night.

little worried about them being soooo far from my bedroom window and can't hear when they're in distress. :-(

 

[RoseMarie1]

Well..one of my ladies flew the coop this morning. I was awakened at six am to the most dreadful chirping and rushed to the office to find little miss fussy britches on the floor outside thebrooder. She eagerly rushed into my hands to be placed back into the brooder.

They arw growing up so fast! I wish I had taken a picture but I half asleep.

lol too cute!

 

[RoseMarie1]

when do they start to develop their combs? mine are 5 weeks and about the same size, but don't have a comb yet. I'm really looking forward to seeing that grow!

mine are only 3 weeks old as of Sat. and they've had theirs for at least a week now. Mine are RIR's. it might have something to do with heat though. we live in the south and haven't had their light on now for about a week I guess.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

My BO males started getting combs at about two -three weeks. My female still doesn't have much of one at nine weeks. I have twelve day old chicks in the brooder and none of them have combs yet...maybe they are all girls!

 

[RoseMarie1]

My BO males started getting combs at about two -three weeks. My female still doesn't have much of one at nine weeks. I have twelve day old chicks in the brooder and none of them have combs yet...maybe they are all girls!

Hubby was looking at ours this evening saying that ones comb is bigger and that one to and that one.....lol those are roosters. I was like OK. ;-) Anyway he's thinking we have at least 3-4 roosters in the 16 RIR. I sure hope that's all!!!

 

[nab58]

mine are 9 weeks old now...Red sex links...so I know they're all pullets. They are just beginning to get a hint of ripples on their head...can't even call it a comb. I'm also noticing some of their head/ comb area is changing from yellow to red.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

I have nine in the brooder that I am hoping are all pullets. They are two weeks old tomorrow but just are growing fast enough....lol...