my baby can fly?!?? What the heck!

[katydidit]

I have four 6 day old chicks... the largest, an EE, is a tad larger and more developed than the rest, but I wouldnt suspect she is much older than 6 days comparing her to other chicks that age.

We had them in a galvanized tub, about 24" tall. My husband was leaving for work this morning and walked in the garage, and SURPRISE! She was roosting on the top of the tub. How she got up there, we have NO clue. The waterer and feeder are in the middle of the tub, and the only explanation that I can think is that she flapped her little wings and got up there. Is this normal?? She has started minor feather development on the tips of her wings, but I would hardly think her primaries were grown in enough to do that.

We since put chicken wire over the top so that little miss cant do it again!

 

[SouthCityChicken]

Mine are right around a week old and are doing lots of flying when they get the chance

 

[hennyannie]

One of mine started flying very early and boy was I surprised when she met me at the door so to speak!

 

[gryeyes]

They hop higher than you think. Plus, if they get close enough to the top, they will bend their necks and hook their heads over the side, kick and flap wildly, and hoist themselves up. Honest! I have seen it multiple times and it always amazes me.

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Yup, younguns fly. I think they are doing it while they can...before their bodies get so heavy that it's not fun anymore. They also do the running tag football game with wood chips. That one is just hilarious to watch!

 

[katydidit]

My husband was floored, and I laughed my butt off. She is definitely going to be the handful of the group

I'm just laughing that in all my research I didnt even know that one week old chicks needed a topper on their brooder- now its going to be more work to go out and play with them every, oh 5 minutes, lol.

She is also getting really good at perching. she sits on my shoulder every now and again without any help... love being a first time chicken momma!

 

[jason_mazzy]

I have some white leggern pullets in the house under the lamp. They have done a few fly bys lately. I left earlier to a meternity appointment, and came back to poop on my wood floors, but all the chicks in the bin. They did a sneaky fly by.

 

[chickst]

Our chicks could fly pretty high too when they were babies.
btw, our EE is also the largest and the most developed among the three. (the other two are RIR and gold-sex link). Is it a breed thing?

 

[Gypsy07]

I was watching TV a couple of weeks ago, and one of my chicks came flying out of the brooder, across the room and plopped down in front of me on the coffee table. I think they were all about two weeks old then...

 

[Nicole01]

My EE chick flies also. The higher, the more fun for her. She is very curious about everything!