Chick Fix

 

The first chicks to be born on Laughing Orca Ranch are now a week old. I figured y’all would appreciate an update.

I think I had forgotten how fast chicks grow. This trio already has their wing feathers and are active and keeping their flustered Mama, Mrs. C very busy indeed!

 

I love to sit and watch them together and find it so endearing how the chicks react to their Mama when she chirps and clucks to them.

I also think it’s fascinating how our first batch of chicks ordered through New Mexico’s Privett’s Hatchery arrived without their Mama, and did just fine without one.

 

I must admit that it’s much easier to raise chicks when a Mama hen does all the work of keeping them warm and protected while showing them how to eat and drink.

All I have to do is check for pasty butt, refill water and food containers, and handle them several times a day so they grow up tame and friendly.

 

I upgraded their chicken condo from a small hamster cage up to a large rabbit cage and they all seem to enjoy the extra space.

 

They spend their day and night in the chicken house which is such a nice difference this time around. I keep remembering how we had to keep our first batch of chicks in the garage for 3 long months, from October through December) while we built their chicken house. Every weekend Ranchman John and I persistently hammered, screwed, and froze our hands and faces while the bitter wind and snow whipped us senseless. Finally on Christmas Day we were able to move our garage chickens into their new permanent home. So I especially appreciate that our newest chicks can live happily in the chicken house with their Mama hen.

I want to bring them outside during the day for brief field trips, but it’s been very windy and cool the past couple days (temps in the mid 40’s during the day), so I’m going to wait a little longer for a warmer day to introduce the chickies to the great big world.

(Our Welsummer pullet)

I’m planning on using the temporary quarantine chicken pen when they go outside just to be on the safe side.

(Sid Vicious, our Golden-laced, bearded Polish Playboy Roo…….”Who me? The Father? No way, man. It was just one night! I take no responsibility”)

Mrs. Cotton is very protective of her babies, but there are 3 very active chicks and only one of her. I’d feel awful if the little biddies were hurt by any of my adult chickens.

(One of our Silver-laced Wyandotte hens. We think that she, or one of our Barred Rocks, is the ‘birth mom’ of one of the chicks)   

So far, the other chickens are very curious, but give Mrs. C and her chicks a wide berth. I find it fascinating that Mr. Cotton seems to be the most interested in the chicks. He spends most of his day perched in the chicken house or laying beside the chick condo keeping an eye on the little biddies and Mrs. Cotton. I’ve read that the Silkie chicken breed tend to be very maternal, but I wonder if that also carries over to the Silkie roosters, too?

For now we’re just enjoying these little peepers. Since my hens have seriously slowed down on their egg laying (only 1-2 eggs a day), having these chicks to enjoy each time I enter the coop, makes up for the lack of eggs.

I hope you enjoyed your Chick Fix today! 

From the Tower of,