- Feb 12, 2011
- 215
- 1
- 101
I have always wanted chickens but I have traveled with my job so much and was not in a permenant spot to raise them. I have settled down now in the beautiful Pacific NW with Tyler who is my wonderful loving guy. I took him our local garden shop and let the staff talk to him about chicken ownership and he "gave in" and said yes to a small urban flock of 2 or 3. I've done my research online and bought some books. I bought a coop off Craigslist and was then waiting for the garden shop to have their first hatch for the year. February 22nd seemed so far away. I got the "ok" from my landlord to have chickens and I have been ready (or so I thought).
I saw my next door neighbor outside this past Thursday. I knew he had chickens and confessed to him that I have been peeking thru his fence to see his "girls." He is friends with my landlord and said he heard I was thinking about getting chickens. I told him there was no thinking. I was waiting on the garden shop to have their hatch. He said I can have his chicks! He and his young sons incubated and hatched babies from their own flock and were ready to go. He gave us all 6 babies with complete brooder, food and water dishes, and food for free! He was only hatching them as a learning experience for his sons.
I don't think I was mentally ready for these cuties since my mind was set on the 22nd and getting only 3 sexed hen babies. I have now been nervous over them crying, their pooping, their heating needs, and eating and drinking. I read about chick mortality rates and this makes me nervous because not only do I want to keep these babies alive and healthy for myself but for the young boys who incubated them and are also attached to them.
We've had them for going on 3 days and all looks good as far as I can tell. They all eat and drink. They scratch and peck the brooder. Some are roosting and some try to fly. No pasty butts. Tyler checks on them as much as I do. He talks and pets them. It warms a girl's heart to see a big grown man being so sweet and gentle to these little fuzz balls. We have been trying to get them to be more tame and 2 of them will eat out of our hands now.
4 of the babies are mostly black and may be Barred Rocks. They more yellow/brownish ones may be RIRs. We think at least one is a rooster based on his behavior and size but we are unsure. We will eventually have to rehome 3 or 4 of them since my coop is small. This will be sad for me so I am enjoying them all now while I have them.
Thank you for the wonderful site and help!
-Alicia-
youtube.com/watch?v=0bKdb6TtQpE
I saw my next door neighbor outside this past Thursday. I knew he had chickens and confessed to him that I have been peeking thru his fence to see his "girls." He is friends with my landlord and said he heard I was thinking about getting chickens. I told him there was no thinking. I was waiting on the garden shop to have their hatch. He said I can have his chicks! He and his young sons incubated and hatched babies from their own flock and were ready to go. He gave us all 6 babies with complete brooder, food and water dishes, and food for free! He was only hatching them as a learning experience for his sons.
I don't think I was mentally ready for these cuties since my mind was set on the 22nd and getting only 3 sexed hen babies. I have now been nervous over them crying, their pooping, their heating needs, and eating and drinking. I read about chick mortality rates and this makes me nervous because not only do I want to keep these babies alive and healthy for myself but for the young boys who incubated them and are also attached to them.
We've had them for going on 3 days and all looks good as far as I can tell. They all eat and drink. They scratch and peck the brooder. Some are roosting and some try to fly. No pasty butts. Tyler checks on them as much as I do. He talks and pets them. It warms a girl's heart to see a big grown man being so sweet and gentle to these little fuzz balls. We have been trying to get them to be more tame and 2 of them will eat out of our hands now.
4 of the babies are mostly black and may be Barred Rocks. They more yellow/brownish ones may be RIRs. We think at least one is a rooster based on his behavior and size but we are unsure. We will eventually have to rehome 3 or 4 of them since my coop is small. This will be sad for me so I am enjoying them all now while I have them.
Thank you for the wonderful site and help!
-Alicia-
youtube.com/watch?v=0bKdb6TtQpE
