fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

The chicks were a little noisy so I turned up the heating pad yesterday afternoon and pushed the wire frame closer to the ground. They quieted down.

Now that the sun is up I am going to go outside and check on them. It got down to 36° last night and I'm a little nervous.

The chicks appear to be fine! Silly me.

They were under the MHP and peeping quietly, but one came out while I was standing there. Then the rest spilled out into the main area, half made a beeline to the water, the others over to the feeder.

I picked up each chick, checked them over, then put them back in the brooder so they wouldn't get chilled, but I did get a quick shot of "Blondie".

 

[3KillerBs]

And installed the ports in the 5 gallon feeder

I've had trouble getting chickens to use those feeders where they have to stick their heads inside. Watch them to make sure they're actually eating.

 

[fuzzi]

They're growing!

Eight days old today, they are losing the "ball" shape, and they're feathering on their wings.

When I got home from work this afternoon I took the chicks out the brooder and put them in the "playpen". There were some spilled crumbles in the bottom that they attacked, and they also did a bit of scratching around. I kept lifting out the chicks, stroking their backs, bringing them up to my face and talking to them.

Everyone's butt appeared fine

I wish I could upload a video here.

 

[fuzzi]

My son asked today what we would do with the chickens if we had a hurricane. The hoop coop is open at foot level, reducing wind pressure against the sides, but I was wondering if sinking tie-down stakes at the four corners might be a good idea.

 

[bruceha2000]

I wish I could upload a video here.

Upload it to YouTube then link it here

 

[fuzzi]

When I got home from work this evening I added some patches to possible entry points in the coop, and a hook & eye to hold the coop door tightly closed while I am inside.

 

[fuzzi]

Day eleven!

Chick #1

Chick #2

Chick #3

Chick #4

Chick #5

Chick #6

Chick #7

Chick #8

Chick #9

Chick #10 "Blondie"

 

[fuzzi]

I see tail feathers!

 

[fuzzi]

I put a clump of grass with roots and dirt attached in the playpen this afternoon. At first the chicks weren't sure what to make of it, then a few tentative pecks later they got excited and were shoving each other in efforts to peck the DIRT, not the grass. Was it seeds or bugs in the dirt that excited them, or was it the dirt?

 

[fuzzi]

The bottom of the brooder is deep in wasted feed.


I scooped out a mix of feed and straw from the bottom using a piece of cardboard, then put a small cardboard box lid in the corner. I placed the chick feeder inside the lid, and am hoping to catch some of the spilled feed so it's not wasted as much as it has been.