Vancouver, SW Washington - How are your chickens today?

[andalusn]

Well there may have been some snow flurries and the temps did drop but the new peeps in the barn seemed to have done fine overnight. I did consider dropping the heat lamp a notch but they really seemed fine, just awake and talkative. The older peeps being raised by the two broody hens also did just fine. No snow today, just wet ground. How many other local folks brought home peeps this past weekend? I did see a ad for Rietdyk's for April/May peeps. How many prefer getting later chicks? Reason?

 

[rainierlass]

My 4 week olds are in the coop since Saturday - - I was a bit worried about the dip in temps last
night so I did drop the heat lamp about 4 inches for them - - the temp is 64 in there right now and they
are acting fine - running around and eating - - I did take them out some nice warm oatmeal yogurt and egg
to warm up their insides a bit! They were thankful I think!

 

[andalusn]

Wow! Warm oatmeal.. you are very good to your youngsters

that was sure to warm a belly or two. The older hens/roosters did just fine in their runs last night. The 3 brand new peeps are too young to do much. I did put fresh grass hay in the brooder and they have been working the very tiny seed heads over like mad. I was a little concerned about the temps but they seem just fine so I just monitor and let them be. If it gets much colder I can move the brooder into my storage room but right now the barn aisleway seems protected enough.

 

[andalusn]

Peeps are a week old and starting to get a little more feathers. I started holding them for a few min twice today. I would like them to settle a little and not be so afraid. Dug through some loose hay in the stack by my open bales and found a nice clump of seed heads. Added that to the brooder as they appear to have finished off the ones from the first bedding of the brooder. The mother hens of my older peeps sure got excited when the foster group was shouting off as I was handling them. I really think one of those hens would have accepted them at one point if they were younger