- Nov 22, 2013
- 33
- 1
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Three weeks ago we got our first chicks - 12 one day old bantam partridge wyandottes. We decided to get chickens for two reasons - eggs and fun. We have two children 7 and 5 and thought they would really enjoy having little baby animals to care for.
Well, what fun we have had. First it was researching what breed and what coop and run. That's how I found BYC -thank goodness. Next was setting up to care for little chicks. Honestly, I don't know how mother nature has managed keeping chickens alive - I watch and monitor everything and anything!
Then we brought our little bundles of fluff home. What fun we had playing with these sweet chicks. We had to deal with heartache when we lost one -failure to thrive we think but I treated for cocci just in case. My 7 year old was so distressed about losing him (we think it was a boy). We now have a bunch of thriving chicks.
What has given me the most pleasure are my Grace and George and how they have become the carers of the chicks.
Both love to hold and pat them. I often find George sitting by their box talking or driving a car over the box telling them all about the adventure. Grace sits in the run after school (we put them out on warm days as its summer in Canberra Australia). She plays with them. She can be in there for an hour. They walk over her legs and investigate. She's become 'the chicken girl'. She handles them beautifully in and out of the run and box and is so gentle and caring with them. They both love to feed them to see what reaction they get. Tonight they had some off the bone ham. I had to get in there and sort a few out as they all went into a crazy food frenzy. Even our beagle Stella loves the chicks. As I sit on a tree stump watching Grace and George play she sits next to me and gets continous pats -she's in heaven.
Next to the coop/run I put a small table setting. We all sit there enjoying a cuppa and watching the chooks. It's such a nice way to spend time together at the end of the day.
What I am proud about is the way Grace and George care about the chicks. I know that the novelty will wear off and it will be Mum left to clean etc but I don't mind as long as they care about their chooks and we continue to enjoy them as a family.
I think chicks are lifes roses -they cause you to stop and enjoy the moment.
Well, what fun we have had. First it was researching what breed and what coop and run. That's how I found BYC -thank goodness. Next was setting up to care for little chicks. Honestly, I don't know how mother nature has managed keeping chickens alive - I watch and monitor everything and anything!
Then we brought our little bundles of fluff home. What fun we had playing with these sweet chicks. We had to deal with heartache when we lost one -failure to thrive we think but I treated for cocci just in case. My 7 year old was so distressed about losing him (we think it was a boy). We now have a bunch of thriving chicks.
What has given me the most pleasure are my Grace and George and how they have become the carers of the chicks.
Both love to hold and pat them. I often find George sitting by their box talking or driving a car over the box telling them all about the adventure. Grace sits in the run after school (we put them out on warm days as its summer in Canberra Australia). She plays with them. She can be in there for an hour. They walk over her legs and investigate. She's become 'the chicken girl'. She handles them beautifully in and out of the run and box and is so gentle and caring with them. They both love to feed them to see what reaction they get. Tonight they had some off the bone ham. I had to get in there and sort a few out as they all went into a crazy food frenzy. Even our beagle Stella loves the chicks. As I sit on a tree stump watching Grace and George play she sits next to me and gets continous pats -she's in heaven.
Next to the coop/run I put a small table setting. We all sit there enjoying a cuppa and watching the chooks. It's such a nice way to spend time together at the end of the day.
What I am proud about is the way Grace and George care about the chicks. I know that the novelty will wear off and it will be Mum left to clean etc but I don't mind as long as they care about their chooks and we continue to enjoy them as a family.
I think chicks are lifes roses -they cause you to stop and enjoy the moment.
