YAY! New Chicks are here! (plus a question) (pic heavy of course)

[belibutn]

Well, our chicks finally arrived from Welp: 35 Cornish Rock crosses, 5 Barred Rocks, 5 Buff Orpingtons, and 5 Red Sexlinks. We got 1 extra CxR, and 1 had died in shipping - so they evened out. We thought we lost a BO as well, but it was barely alive and decided to die later on that night. My youngest named her Fate since he said she was in the hands of The Fates. A CxR died overnight friday night as well - it was very small and looked to have an injured hip. We thought we would loose another one (the kids still think that it is the first CxR - no need to make them sad, huh?) but it has perked up a lot and seems to be doing fine, if not just being a little bit slower than the rest.

I wanted to post about it Friday morning, but I didn't have pics yet, and know how I would be harangued for not posting pics.

Anyway, before I get to the pics, Quick Question: When can I start giving them treats, and what kinds? They have been on pine shavings since Friday evening. I was also thinking about bringing them outside later on tonight... real feel right now is about 100, so I was gonna wait till MUCH later.

So here are the pics:

This was taken about 15minutes before the cat decided that was waaaay too many more pets and went and peed in the dryer full of clothes. We had a serious discussion with him - much yowling involved - and he now loves his chicks

the brooder is actually our way too big bath tub with some chicken wire across the top of it.

This is our laying flock

This is my wife's favorite, Moogie - named after Rom's nickname for his mother Ishka on Star Trek Deep Space Nine

 

[TreyClark281]

aww they are so cute!
do you have the coop all ready?

 

[belibutn]

Not yet, but we are working on it. It should be done in a few days, heat permitting.

 

[debakadeb]

What cute chicks. What I've learnt from the board is not to give treats until they are at least 4 weeks old. The exception to this is organic, plain yogurt. I would probably wait a couple of weeks for anything but the chick starter.

Seeing those makes me wish mine were babies again

 

[belibutn]

bugs and stuff are ok, though, right?

 

[tygab]

mine are eating bugs, even if I am not feeding them... today an ant went into the brooder (a big one) and they went crazy, with the eventual winner eating it. Mine are 3 wks old... also I tried to give them plain organic yogurt today and they were a little perplexed by it but nibbled. It may have been how I presented it... in a small pet bowl vs on a saucer.

 

[lovemychicks9]

Quote:
Try putting it on a saucer with some of the starter crumbles they eat sprinkled on the top. My girls thought I was poisoning them the firs time or two but now , lordy have mercy they wait at the pen door and practically knock me over and take the dish away. They do love it but I don't give it to often yet as I hear too much calcium is not good for them yet. Trudy