Got Some Chickies!!!!

[FirewifeJess]

I don't know how close you are to Reber Ranch in Kent (I'm in Covington), but they have the best prices ($1 less per 40lb bag) out of anywhere I called in the area. If I were you I'd just use up the medicated you have (I'm still getting through mine, and though I know a bit better now, the peace of mind of using medicated was better for my personality, LOL) and then make the switch if you think they'll make it through another bag of chick starter before needing grower.

 

[EricaD]

That's good advice. I made a snap decision to get the medicated, not knowing if it was truly necessary or not. But I feel like it's a good foundation for hatchery chicks, to help them start out as healthy as possible before eventually switching them to the quality of food I want them on permanently. Plus, I bought a big giant bag of it, lol, and would hate to waste it!

 

[GSDBESTK9]

They are adorable!

 

[EricaD]

Update!

The chicks are doing great! I picked up a few more yesterday, but we're done now.

The tally is:

2 white leghorns
2 light brahmas
2 silver laced wyandottes
2 ameracaunas (EEs)
2 blue laced red wyandottes
3 salmon faverolles
3 barred rocks

I already have a friend who has an organic CSA farm, and my DDs ice skating teacher offering to trade veggies and lessons for eggs and meat! Cornish X will be next on the list! They're so excited - I think I'm onto something - trade my excess for goods and service instead of selling or giving them away. What fun!

The chicks have been going nuts for fermented feed and treats, such as strawberries and chopped greens. We're expecting great weather this weekend so, once I mow the lawn, we'll set up a playpen for them on the grass to play in the sun while we start working on their shed-coop. The coop should be ready by next weekend!

The little BLRWs are the cutest - they're the smallest little balls of fluff but the feistiest. And fast with voracious appetites! They always win at keep away. They're super friendly too. The barred rocks, salmon favs and americaunas are also quite docile, while the leghorns, SLWs and brahmas are totally spastic, lol.

Having the best time with these chicks!

 

[FirewifeJess]

Sounds like you're having a lot of fun! We are too! I just picked up a few more chicks this week as well, now we have:
1 RIR
1 Delaware
2 Easter Egger
2 Black Australorp
2 Gold Laced Wyandotte
2 Welsummer
3 Buff Orpington

I REALLY want to get one more RIR and one more Delaware to make things a bit more even (yup, major OCD here, LOL!) and *kinda* want to get rid of our runty little Buff Orpington so we only have 2 of each breed, but that would be so wrong and mean of me to get rid of her just because she's a runt!

 

[MadHens]

So cute! Just curious - do you have anything to put over the tub so they don't fly around in your bathroom? One of my white leghorns is an amazing flyer already and she is only 2 weeks old (and she's been flying well for at least a week).

 

[EricaD]

Ha! Funny you say that - yesterday I found one of the leghorns running around outside the tub in a panic! She had flown out and was trying to get back in with her sisters.

So this week I'll take some window screens from around the house to lay over the tub to keep them put. As a back up, though, we're keeping the bathroom door shut and left a bowl of food and water on the floor, just in case

 

[highpointfarm]

Aww, you girls are adorable =] At this young age, They can have a few things as long as they have grit availible.. They will love you forever if you give them mealworm treats... can buy them at TSC.... They also like plain yogurt.. (no grit required for that)... Congrats on the Chicks =]

 

[BantamoftheOpera]

Your picked excellent breeds! You are going to have a great looking flock!

 

[EricaD]

Thanks everyone! I do have a small bowl of chick grit out for them, which they use as needed. I feed them starter, both dry and fermented, plus fresh leafy greens and yogurt. They're absolutely nuts over any kind of greens!

Yesterday we took them out on the lawn in a pen and let them run around in the sun for a couple of hours while we worked on the coop. They loved it! Later, after I put them back, I went to check on them and all 16 chicks were piled up in the tub (brooder) completely passed out. It was so cute - you could almost hear them snoring and see the drool, lol. They didn't even wake up when I went in to see them - just like toddlers who zonk out after too much excitement. Later they seemed invigorated - their games of keep away were more spirited than usual. I think they were inspired by the great outdoors!

I'm really enjoying their personalities - the leghorns are so curious and braver than the others, but detest being held. They jump and squawk like they're being killed every time I pick them up, lol. The BLRW are sweet and calm and like to snuggle. The first Barred Rock is the same - sweet and cuddly. The other 2 (from a different store) are spastic and don't like to be held. The SLW aren't really standing out to me at all, personality wise. They pretty much just blend in with the others. The EE's (Ameracaunas) are also very sweet, and the bigger one is always making eye contact, with her little head tilted, like she's trying to tell you something. She's an observer - always a little away from the others, watching, taking it all in. She has very intelligent eyes and demeanor and enjoys being held. The salmon fav's are not growing as fast as the others and are middle of the road as far as friendliness - once you pick them up they're pretty calm and sweet. The Brahmas are a lot like the leghorns but I love how big and robust they are!

I'm really enjoying them!