A lot of new changes have been happening with the chicks. Their personalities are totally shining through and we are really enjoying getting to know them as individuals now.
They still get fed and watered twice a day and during those times we spend time handling them to make sure they are all tame and friendly. Some love it more than others and have come to expect their moment on our laps to cuddle and take a nap.
I really enjoy this time and I open up both garage doors to let in the breezes, place a towel on my lap (for any accidents), and tuck a couple chicks on top for some quiet time. Kind of reminds me of when my kidlets were babies and we’d cuddle up for some special moments. As I stroke their soft feathers, I often find my eyes getting heavy and wanting to take a little siesta, too.
Yesterday and today, we started taking the chicks to the backyard for some outdoor field trips, which they seem to enjoy.
With 27 chicks, several cages are required and multiple trips to the garage to shuttle them back and back and forth.
Thankfully Jen loves this job and won’t even let me help. Instead I get the Chick Sitter job, to keep the chicks safe from any predators.
And of course, Dobbie Girl likes to help, too. She has considered the chicks her puppies from the day they arrived and is quite protective of them, and will herd them to a safe spot so that Jen and I can rescue them, if a chick happens to fly out of the brooder.
Hey check out that green grass! We’ve been getting rain every day for the past week. After having no measurable rain for almost a year, seeing everything start to green up is so exciting! I don’t mow the backyard grass at all because that’s Apache’s personal salad buffet, when I bring her down from her paddock about twice a week for hand-grazing.
I haven’t had to water my veggie garden at all this week and it’s really taking off. We’ve even been enjoying some of the produce, like the radishes, romaine, and spinach. This is huge for me as this is my first garden I’ve ever attempted at home. Anything that grows in our dry environment is a wonder to me and when it provides food for my family….well that’s just amazing! I’ll be sure to post some more photos of our garden later this week.
The chicks are really packing away the feed and we’ll be opening up our third 50lb bag of chick starter by Monday. Even with the 5 Silver-laced Cochins in a separate brooder cage, the main brooder is becoming quite crowded.
Thankfully, they are all about 95% feathered out, so I’m planning on giving them just another week before they move out to the chicken coop with the other hens.
Of course, they won’t be thrown in with the older hens until they spend about a week in the Isolation mini-coop, where they can get to know each other through the chicken wire.
My poor hens (we have 12 now) won’t know what happened when all 27 chicks are let loose into the main coop with them. It could be a little crazy!
13 comments :
27 chicks - look out old hens. Their lives will not be the same.
Great pictures.
Dan
Your girls are so beautiful, and I am in awe of your chick photos. I learned that towel trick the hard way, lol.
I can't believe your lawn and vegetable garden. The rain keeps missing us here and we haven't needed to mow our patch of lawn all summer, even though we water it. Everything growing seems to know the difference between sprinkler water and raindrops.
Oh, my! They sure have grown! I'm so glad to hear you are getting some rain, too! And, I can't wait to see more pics of your garden!
Aren't they beautiful? How fast they've grown. I bet there will be just a little sadness when they go out into the wide world, and away from the day to day handling that you have been giving them.
My blogcation must have been longer than I thought. 27 chicks!! My goodness!
And I'm with you: I find holding a chicken on my lap the most relaxing thing. I've always been fond of Rhode Island Reds. They always seemed the calmest to me.
I'm so envious of your lush green grass! What little vegetation we have left is crunchy and brown.
Feathered friends who sit in your lap. What a deal. I still can't get Scrappy in my lap unless I flip him over on his back and rub his belly.
Hey, Lisa, I'm back and had to check in to see what's going on over there and, lo and behold, you're talking about chickens! I love it and I love your pictures! What camera and lens do you use? They're great! It sounds like things are going well for you. It's been awhile since I've tuned in...I've got some catch up reading to do...
Finally got some rain! We got some after a couple weeks of nothing. We got about 4 inches but a 10 minute drive away they got 6!! There was so much lightning last night I had to shut both my curtains and blinds in my room it looked like there was literally a strobe light.
Hi Riverbend!
Nice to see you around again. Believe it or not, I don't use any special camera or lenses to take any of my photos. The only camera I own is a Canon PowerShot SX110 IS point and shoot. I've had it now going on 2 1/2 years and it's never let me down. I'm very happy with it. It allows me to take the photos I want to take, without being cumbersome, bulky, or complicated. :)
Thanks again for visiting,
~Lisa
WOW! Thats like letting the kindergardeners loose at the old folks home, should be a hoot to watch. The chicks look great and its good to have your own self lawn mower..;-))
Wow cant believe how big they have gotten already!
And green grass, been a long time since its been green at your house, looks good.
The old hens will have to show them the ropes and how it's done in the "big" coop. =) It always amazes me how fast they grow and change!
So glad to hear you are finally getting a good amount of rain. The garden is looking good!
Wow Lisa, look at that grass! I am so glad that you have had some good rain.
It sounds as though the hummingbird you were asking about is a Rufous Hummingbird, the males are a beautiful copper colour on the back :)
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