One Week Later

The chicks have been with us for a week now, and they are growing like crazy.  This batch has been substantially less work than our first two.  I think it's because we bought a more stable waterer and they have lots more space to roam around.  We are also just using an old towel in the tub instead of pine shavings.  That way the shavings don't get kicked EVERYWHERE.  It was a constant battle last time keeping the shaving out of the waterer and the food, but not anymore.  We really only have to check them and freshen their water twice a day.  We check before we leave for work and when we get home from work.  I check them once again right before bed, but I don't have to do anything for them.  It's just a visual check.

We've stared handling them on a daily basis to get them used to human interaction.  None of them are too fond of the "giant hands from above" right now, but that will start to change when we can start giving them treats in the next couple weeks.  They will move outside in about a month into the small coop.  Then they will have ground to scratch and a roost to perch on.  They are still too young for those things now.

Here are some pictures taken today.

In the box while I cleaned their brooder and put in a fresh towel.

The blonde one.

Getting held while I cleaned the brooder.

More chicks.

Our pup Cooper is very interested in the babies.

Back in the brooder (our bathtub).

The older hens are doing great too.  We are getting at least three eggs a day, but we usually get four or five.  Maple and Omelette are still laying smallish eggs, but they are perfect in every way.  Yadi still looks scraggly, but the other two "old ladies" are still beautiful.

We're at it again...

From the beginning I have wanted Easter Eggers because of the pretty blue/green eggs they lay.  They just seem so fun.  So, since we canceled our big order, I got onto Craig's List to see if anyone had any EE chicks near by.  I found a couple in Pueblo who had ordered more than they wanted, so we decided to get three for us and three for my parents.  We will be raising all six until they are ready to move outside.  We picked them up today, and they are stinking adorable.  Here are pictures from our journey.

We decided to use our downstairs bathtub as the brooder for this go around.  We'll see how it goes.

All ready for the drive to get the new baby chicks!

Inside this box, there is cuteness.

Six Chicks!

They are all so different.

Another adorable chick.

Close up!

They don't stand still for long.

It's hard to believe they are all the same breed.

This is the only image I've taken since we got home.  They all found the food and water  right away.   Then they cuddled up under the heat lamp to warm up from their journey.

I am sure there will be many more posts to come now that we have adorable baby chicks again.  They were hatched on Monday, so that makes these babies five days old with a birthday of 5/9/11.  I'm already excited to see the rainbow of eggs we'll get from these beautiful birds.  They seem to be comfortable in their new home, but I'm going to give them some time to relax before I torture them with a photo shoot.