The Saga of a Chicken-Dad

[Abronsyth]

Well, they arrived at the post office in the local city, but were not going to be shipped to my post office until tomorrow, which was ridiculous to me. So we drove to the city and picked them up! All three are alive and well. They were happy to sleep tucked into a jacket in my lap, and were pretty thirsty, so I made sure they got some fresh water while we were on the way home. Now they're all in the brooder and running back and forth from the heat-plate to the food, haha. They seem very comfortable and everyone is plenty perky!


A photo I took on the way home. You can see Jack, my cockerel, most clearly, and then the top of Max, and only a small part of Anne, haha. ((Max just fits her better than Mary for a name.)) They are curious little things! Wherever I put my finger in the brooder they have to sprint over and investigate, haha!

I am in love already!

 

[Abronsyth]

Oh how I am in love!


Left to right: Anne (pullet), Max (pullet), and Jack (cockerel)

They've been eating and drinking plenty on their own and going under the heat plate without an issue. They seem to be very active and comfortable. I cannot really see spurs yet, so I can't count...but their feet are good Hard to judge a this point though, haha. My goal is to eventually work on show-quality sumatra lines!

 

[sannabelle]

Awwwwe congratulations!! They are so cute! Glad they all made it safe and sound

 

[AshlyMommaWard]

They're adorable! Congratulations new chicken dad!

 

[Abronsyth]

Max and Jack are extremely perky and playful today! They love to cry for me and then chase my hand around the brooder and bounce around all over the place. Anne, however, has a really bad case of pasty butt and isn't feeling very well. I cleaned her up a little bit ago and she relieved herself, so now she just needs to recuperate. I ground up some oats for her and just saw her eating a bit, so I am hoping that helps. She's being so good about my cleaning her up, poor dear. The other two had a bit, but not bad and they're pretty much cleared up today.

All I can do is keep an eye on Anne and keep her clean. I'm really hoping she perks up here soon.


I just took these a few hours ago.

 

[Abronsyth]

Anne did not make it. She passed away yesterday in my hands. She started to struggle and lost the use of her legs, so I was holding her to calm her down and keep her from hurting herself. She relaxed and fell asleep, and after a little while I realized she was gone. I am glad that she was in my hands, and not alone. Her life was too short, but I take comfort knowing she's no longer in pain.

For now I am trying to pull together the money for a necropsy.


Max and Jack are doing extremely well, though. Max's pasty-butt has totally cleared up and they are both growing like weeds and eating like pigs! They don't seem to have any issue staying warm. They started sacrificing warmth for being closer to me, so I moved their heat plate to the opposite corner it had been in, so now they can stay cozy and keep an eye on me. I still have probiotics in the water, will probably keep that until they're a week old as a precaution.

 

[sannabelle]

So sorry about little Anne- will the hatchery send you another chick?

Glad your other two are growing well!

 

[Abronsyth]

The hatchery cannot send another chick unless I buy two others, but that's fine. I'm content to just work with my two for now.

Now that they're 12 days old their personalities are becoming way more apparent and defined!

Jack is very bold but not aggressive, he wants to be top-chick, but not overwhelmingly so. Max is very inquisitive and determined, but more timid around new things than Jack is. Their personalities really compliment one another, they're going to make a remarkable pair.

I took them outside and let them interact with our older chicks under my watchful eye. At first they both just stayed in my lap and observed, but eventually settled down enough to start investigating. Jack, of course, wanted to challenge each of the strange chicks. Our silkies, who are five weeks old now, pretty much ignored the tiny chick trying to pounce on them. The bitty-bantams, four weeks old now, are comparable in size to my standard sumatras, but much more developed. So though Jack had every ounce of fierceness in him to take them on, they had no trouble putting him in his place, minus one chick who is recovering from injuries and already knows the sumatras. Each time Jack came running back to me and would hop in my lap for a bit. Max mostly stayed close to Jack and I. I had issues with one of the silkies (who is being a problem with all of the other birds), but eventually I got after the monstrous fluff ball enough that she just ignored my little ones. The one time Max did get feisty was when on of the silkies took her spot on my lap. She managed to wedge herself under the silkie and then shove the poor bird off of me lol

They seemed to have fun though! Pecking at grass and chasing bugs until they were ready to go back in and have a nice, long nap.

I didn't have my phone with me yesterday, sadly, but this morning I got pictures! Max realized she's strong enough now to jump to the ledge of the brooder when the top is up, and Jack figured it out after watching her do it a few times. So I ended up with them both jumping onto my shoulders, haha. So photo time!

(12 day old black sumatra chicks)
Max(closer) and Jack(farther) - You can see those long sumatra legs!

Jack, looking handsome as always!

My pretty Max

She's all nice and comfy

Jack is dozing off!

I wonder how much longer they'll be able to fit on the same shoulder?

They're growing shoulder feathers in now I can't believe how quickly they grow! Max is already as big as our 4 wk. OEG chick! Jack is a wee bit smaller...I keep telling him he needs to grow more, haha.

 

[Abronsyth]

At two weeks old now, it's time for another upgrade!


This cage has a platform and perch added, since they've started experimenting a lot with their wings and jumping ability. It is more exposed to drafts, but they're old enough and feathered enough that it won't be a problem.


I've told my family that if the hatchery made a mistake and they're both cockerels then I am still keeping them lol, I'd just build them separate pens during breeding season. I don't think it'll be an issue though. Max is slightly larger in height, but her legs are more dainty and she doesn't have as much attitude as Jack toward other birds. It's a good thing that Jack is so sassy, it balances out well with Max's more timid nature with other chickens.

Max is taking a dust bath right now! First time I've actually been able to see her do it.

 

[Abronsyth]

Okay, so the new brooder has a front door and a top door, but I prefer to use the front door. It is amazing how much just changing to coming at them from a different angle changes how they react to me opening the cage and having my hands in there. Now if I could just convince Jack to get off of my arms when I need to go, haha.

Here's a picture of Max dust-bathing!