February/March Grow-a-long

TheRusticRebel · Mar 16, 2023

fuzzi said:
When I came home from work, temperature was mid 60s, so when I took the chicks out for play time I didn't close off the pen. I actually turned it so they had a view.
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Some of them hopped out, making brief sorties
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Then, when my back was turned...
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There was no looking back! Off they went, exploring...
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I put them back in their brooder in case they were getting chilled, but most of them came back out within a couple minutes!
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At one point they all went back in the brooder on their own, so I shut them in for the night.

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There's no going back, I anticipate they'll be wanting OUT in the morning... good thing I will be home tomorrow!
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Aw!! Too cute!

AusHen · Mar 17, 2023

The biggest 4 have been kicked outside for a while (its HOT here). Growing nicely along with some slightly older Marans and Welsummer girls plus two ducklings. I'm happy to report it's still one cockerel and 3 pullets.

I ended up keeping a bunch of others and out of them I have 11 cockerels and only 4 more pullets, 2 being from my girl Bella. Will get photos of them later

kurby22 · Mar 17, 2023

I cleaned the brooder this morning and it’s already gross

Think it’s time to move to shavings! They have decided not to use the brooder plate, so I think it’s time to raise it up more! I just love the chick pile

the little porcelain ones love to be squished up against the wall at the bottom of the pile

I already have a favorite too—this little one is just as happy as a clam to sit with me. It’s sort of the loner too. Everyone goes to the pile and it will go to the brooder alone. I worried about it at first because I thought it might mean it was self isolating and not well, but she seems to be doing fine! She was last of the three to hatch by several hours so I’m wondering if she’s odd chick out! Either way…I’m loving her chill personality and adorable cheeks!

TheRusticRebel · Mar 17, 2023

Day 2! All 7 chicks snugged up quietly under the mhp and came out 1 by one at sunrise. ❤

fuzzi · Mar 17, 2023

Opened the brooder door about 9am and pushed their playpen against the opening. There was a slight breeze, a little cool (50°?) but it didn't seem to bother them.

A couple went back inside to warm up, but the others...

... started exploring! They came over to the end of the coop where I was drilling and attaching stuff. The drill noise didn't bother them, though when a dog next door barked loudly they hightailed it for the brooder! :lol:

gimmie birdies · Mar 17, 2023

Above Hen Lavender EE mom, EE dad. Keeper
Below is a Frizzle EE mix but not frizzled. Keep

Boy and girl EE

EE rooster

Below golden spitz hens, EE dad. possible keepers.

Below is Steel egger female Keeper

Below are 5 weekers
Rooster...

hen

OE keeper (Meyer) Keep

Below a NN/EE from my hens Keep

Below Frizzle from my hen Keep (f)

Below Rooster EE

Below rooster EE

Below Meyer blue andelusian female, BA females have a bigger comb, but it is not bright red.

I have one more, but I can't figure out in my pictures which one...

Kikilu · Mar 17, 2023

This little lady is stealing my heart. First to hatch and never got a real name. Pegged her as a rooster because of how vigorous the egg looked candling (for no real reason mind you). I’ll be surprised if it is a roo now. Hunkers down and fluffs out. Sits on my shoulder and loves it. Never pecks at my face/head. I may need more chanteclers after this one.

TheRusticRebel · Mar 18, 2023

Day 3 and all is well! My chicks all look the same basically so im not gonna post pics of them individually yet. But heres a couple i snapped this morning.

fuzzi · Mar 19, 2023

Yesterday I was outside with the chicks. They were foraging around my feet when I put my hand down to their level. One did a tentative peck at my fingers and walked away, but another fluttered up and into my hand!

BobMcDuff · Mar 19, 2023

BobMcDuff said:
Ours hatched last Saturday so I think we qualify for this thread. These are our first chickens, hatched from a backyard flock of a coworker. I originally started with 12 eggs figuring I would be lucky to hatch 6 (homemade incubator from years ago when we first started talking chickens). Had 1 clear egg, the other 11 went to lockdown and 9 hatched to our surprise.

Here a list of the possible parents:

Hens:
Ayam cemani (ivory egg)
Light brahma (light tan egg)
Easter egger (blue or green egg)
Faverolle (tan eggs)
Bl & Blu Australorp (tan eggs)
Black minorca (white egg)
Barnevelder (med brown egg)
Wh & Br Leghorn (white eggs)
Buff orpington (tan egg)
Silver laced wyandotte (tan egg)
Bl Maran (dark brown egg)
Golden laced polish (light tan eg)
Speckled sussex (tan egg)
Welsummer (med brown w speckles egg)
Opal legbar (blue egg, smaller than easter egger eggs)

Roosters:
Cuckoo Maran
Ayam cemani
Golden Laced polish
Opal Legbar
Buff/Red-leakage Silkie
Silver laced Sebright bantam

So I will be very curious to see how these little fluff balls look fully grown. But for now these are them (going to attempt to guess at male/female but really have no idea)

1) Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen (for being #1!)
View attachment 3432227And Smitty has 5 toes and fluffy legs.View attachment 3432228Worried that Smitty is a roo though.. From light brown egg.

2)View attachment 3432230Zombie, named because during a candling I was thinking this might be a quitter, but days later it was brought back to life. Also think might be a roo. Light brown egg.

3)View attachment 3432231Cuprous
A hen maybe? Light brown with a hint of pink egg.

4)View attachment 3432232Noire, think we got lucky on this one as its totally black so might be a full Cerami. Thinking might be a hen. Greyish green egg.

5)
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Chweeper, the only yellow chick we got (though I do see a couple dark feathers under the one wing coming in). Unsure of sex so I'll say hen for good luck. From white egg.

6)
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Unnamed as of yet, hopefully hen.
Green egg.

7)
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No name yet. Light brown egg. Fat legs has me thinking roo.

8)
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Quadrube Jr. Hatched from medium brown egg. This one I'm hoping for