Tell me about your chicks.

[NC ChickenKate]

Bought 9 day-olds from MPC and they've been with us a bit over 4 weeks now. In addition to their major cuteness factor I'm amazed how many of their behaviors are instinctual...I offered a pie pan of sand at one week and most immediately took a dust bath. Made a tiny play toy roost and they lined up shoulder to shoulder on it. Scratching through the shavings to uncover tasty treats...never spent a moment with a momma hen and they come with all the native intelligence hard-wired. Yesterday was the first day all visited their enclosed yard. What sharp eyesight they have seeing, chasing and catching the no-seeums. Best part of my day is whatever time I spend with my chooks.

 

[jmtcmkb]

Love how friendly and curious they are, didnt expect that and it is great! Do not like cleaning up the poop, and didnt know there would be so much of it

 

[Magic Birdie]

Not having any

 

[Labgal]

I really like watching the mother hen with the chicks, how could this chicken that I bought at the feedstore know exactly what to do with baby chicks that I put under her at night?!

She clucks to them and shows them where the food is, she settles into the litter and makes a nest and she pecks at them so they scurry under her wings and stay warm.

It is really amazing to watch a hen with her chicks. She also worries about them if they wander off and seems to be able to count! I let her out with all my other hens today and she was protective and so worried I put her back in her smaller pen, plenty of time to get her back with the flock. If you get chickens you do need to raise replacement hens, get a Speckled Sussex and when she goes broody either let her hatch out eggs or put the babies under her at night, they are terrific mothers. It is so easy to have the hen do all the work too.