My almost 3 week olds got to play in the yard today. Pics!

[TripMomma]

It was sunny, 48 degrees and beautiful today. I decided to take my older 5 chicks out for a little field trip. They will be 3 weeks in a couple days, and we only spent 5-10 min out side. They had a good time!

 

[Redneek]

Good mix. What breed are they?

 

[Redneek]

 

[TripMomma]

This 5 are a Barred Rock, Barnevelder, Buff Orpington, Silver Laced Wyandotte, and an Easter Egger. I also have 2 that are 10 days old, they are Salmon Faverolle and a Welsummer.

Your babies and Momma are so cute.

 

[azygous]

Did they rev up for a maiden low-level flight? If they have enough flat space for a run-way, they will almost certainly try their wings out, and this is usually accompanied by shrill screeches of excitement. And the chicks will be emitting shrill screeches of excitement as well!

 

[TripMomma]

Hahaha cute! But no, this Momma hen is brand new to baby chicks and was a worry wart the whole time. I kept herding them together and not letting them wander more than 3 feet from me. They are still skittesh of me and I was afraid they would try to run off and I wouldn't be able to catch them....even though we were in a fenced backyard LOL. Obviously I need more practice

 

[aart]

Beautiful photos!

You might think about making a little pen for them out there.

 

[azygous]

You need to give you and your babies a couple of simple lessons in coming to you on command. That way you will be confident they will always come to you when you need to gather them up. All you need is a small container that you will use as a visual cue for the rest of their lives. I chose a two-inch white meal worm carton because I can carry it in my pocket.

While the chicks are in their brooder, offer them their favorite treats out of this container, which can be anything, even a cupped hand. Do this every day, and it will help to include a verbal cue also, like "chickie, chickie, chickie!" I use, "Bay-bees!" They will cue in on either one after only a couple of days training. After a while, they will come even if your container or cupped hand is empty.

Today, I was picking up trash in the run, putting it into my cupped hand, and I had six hens breathing down my neck, thinking I had treats.

So next time you take them on a "field trip", you are confident they will come running to you when you decide it's time to go in. You'll be ever so glad you've taught them this, especially if you need to get them into the run in a big hurry, like when you notice a hawk hovering overhead.

 

[TripMomma]

You need to give you and your babies a couple of simple lessons in coming to you on command. That way you will be confident they will always come to you when you need to gather them up. All you need is a small container that you will use as a visual cue for the rest of their lives. I chose a two-inch white meal worm carton because I can carry it in my pocket.

While the chicks are in their brooder, offer them their favorite treats out of this container, which can be anything, even a cupped hand. Do this every day, and it will help to include a verbal cue also, like "chickie, chickie, chickie!" I use, "Bay-bees!" They will cue in on either one after only a couple of days training. After a while, they will come even if your container or cupped hand is empty.

Today, I was picking up trash in the run, putting it into my cupped hand, and I had six hens breathing down my neck, thinking I had treats.

So next time you take them on a "field trip", you are confident they will come running to you when you decide it's time to go in. You'll be ever so glad you've taught them this, especially if you need to get them into the run in a big hurry, like when you notice a hawk hovering overhead.

Thanks, great suggestion...I will get on it. I haven't been giving them much in the way of treats yet...I did give them a little fresh spinach the other day. They are leery even of me giving them that, what are the most irresistible treats?

 

[azygous]

Meal worms are tops on chickens' list of favorites. But tiny bits of cheese work or raisins or tiny bits of fresh fruit or bits of tortilla or corn bread. Just make sure they have some grit. You can buy it at the feed store or just go outside and find some soil with tiny bits of gravel in it, 1/16" to 1/8". I like to provide a small tub of ordinary sand for the chicks to dirt bathe in and it doubles as grit.

Meal worms can be purchased at any aquarium store. Remember, anything new will be viewed with suspicion at first. It's an instinct to keep chicks safe from eating the wrong things. They usually will take their cue from the mama hen. Usually the boldest member will grab it first, and the others will watch to see what happens. It's like that old Life Cereal commercial with little Mikey while his older brothers watch to see if he's going to choke on the cereal or not before they touch it.