Just Bought My First Chicks This Weekend - So Far, So Good!

[Tiny'sChix]

Hello Everyone! Greetings from Fort Collins, Colorado! I am brand new member to BYC and a brand new 'Mama' to 4 adorable chicks...Cookie is an Ameracauna, LuLu is a Welsummer, Night is a Barred Rock , and Alvin is a Rhode Island Red - she looks like a chipmunk, hence the name. The chicks are 6 days old and doing super well...we have them in a home made brooder in the laundry room at night, and in the day time, we move them upstairs to our sunny living room. They are already settling in nicely, seem to love people, and sleep quite well. We have had our own veggie garden for the past 4 years, and are super excited to now add fresh eggs to the mix. I love this forum because it has been a great help to our family over the past month or so as we researched everything from breeds, to coop designs, to common issues that arise when raising chickens. we are hoping to start building our coop this weekend from re-claimed supplies at our local ReSource store. We will keep you posted on our adventures!

Mama to one TeenAgedBoy, one TweenerGirl, one well mannered Bearded Dragon named Dex, a spunky little Dwarf Hamster named Misty, and now four adorable little chickadees! Oh yes, and one VerySweetHubby who is putting up with my sudden need to raise chickens.

 

[chickengal30]

Welcome fellow chicken lover!!!

 

[Mama_Chicken]

from a fellow Newbie! We just got our first chickens last Wednesday, 8 little bantam babies! I'm in love already!

 

[rhs7111]

Congrats on your new chicks! The one who looks like a chipmunk is likely your "easter egger" (feed stores incorrectly label them as ameraucana). The chipmunk pattern is very common in EEs ( and I happen to love EEs). The Rhode Island Red chick will be golden red in color.

 

[Snegurochka]

Welcome and congratulations! You are going to love love love your Barred Rock! They are so smart, and friendly, and just great all around--I bet she'll be your coop queen.

The chipmunk could also be your Welsummer--it should have a dark reddish stripe starting as a V on its head, and running down its back. Easter Eggers can look like chipmunks, but some that were solid-colored (I had one that started out yellow, and became a gray-blue adult.) Your RIR should be reddish, and mostly solid-colored. You're probably sure which one the Barred Rock is, but just in case it should be black with a white spot on its head.

BTW, Welsummers are also awesome, and lay the prettiest eggs--congrats on finding one for your first flock!

 

[alcap]

 

[2DogsFarm]

And if you plan on freeranging your chickens FENCE THE GARDEN!!!
Chickens will demolish a veggie garden in a matter of hours.
I made the mistake of thinking plastic fencing would protect mine.
WRONG!

Meantime, enjoy your little fluffballs & be amazed at how fast they turn into chickens

You'll probably be eating homegrown eggs by Fall if not sooner.

 

[gryeyes]

from California!

Others have already suggested your Alvin may be a Welsummer or an EE (Easter Egger) chick instead of a RIR, so I'll just stick with other comments. Chicks grow awfully fast, so take lots of pictures! We love pictures, and after you have made 10 or so posts, you will be able to add photos to your messages.

As I said, chicks grow really fast, so don't delay on that coop construction. Trust me, I know whereof I speak!

I bet you find that your BR is the most talkative, inquisitive, and people oriented of your flock once they are all growed up.

Enjoy the fuzz butts while they're little, and don't be surprised how much you will love them when they are fluffy butt hens!

 

[SJensen]

Your experience sounds like our family's -- good luck to you! For reference I've documented our first chickens first two years on my blog (link below):

 

[Tiny'sChix]

Thank you all for you advice - and addressing the possible breed confusion from the feed store - greatly appreciated. Sounds like Alvin might be the EasterEgg in the group - his markings would suggest that, as the poster from CA suggested...BTW - where in California are you from? We relocated to Colorado about 5 years ago....I had lived all over CA for the previous 36 years before that....Born in Stockton, moved to the Monterey Peninsula 5 yrs later (Carmel, specifically), when to school at UC Santa Barbara, married in Malibu, moved back to the Peninsula again, (Pacific Grove this time), then moved to San Diego....but I digress....

Well these chickadees just grow like weeds! LuLu and Night are already showing their 'tail feather buds'...I'm sure there's an official name for this phenomenon...maybe someone can fill me in? Alvin and Cookie are feathering up nicely as well on their wings...

Hmmmm....I hadn't heard about chickens tearing up veggie gardens. Our neighbors have a similar set up regarding gardens and chickens, and haven't had any problems...I wonder if it matters what kind of veggies one grows?

So now that they are 7 days old, I wanted to take them outside to scratch since they seem to have taken up that habit overnight! We have two raised beds that would be perfect...full of worms and baby strawberries and some other random bugs and plantings that we really don't mind if they get into...Is that okay if we maybe take two at a time and watch them like crazy? They had literally 'kicked out' all their shavings from one side of the brooder when I came home to check on then yesterday afternoon after work.

I think that's it for now...can't wait to post pictures! Thanks again for all your advice....I think we decided on a coop design and now that the taxes are finally done, I believe we'll get started on the coop this weekend...