Chick Journey- Part 4

Our sweet teenager chicks are officially 2 months old! This week it was time to kick them out of the chicken tractor (I had more babies hatch that needed the space too)!

At this age, they are about half the size of a grown hen They are fully feathered in their adult plumage, but still chirp like babies

When moving your teen chicks in with the adults, expect some fighting Chickens have a hierarchy and the top birds are most always the oldest Luckily our little flock of one rooster and 4 hens had been exposed to the teens a little

Chick Journey Weeks 2-4

Our lovely little mystery chicks have been growing and changing! At about 2 weeks of age, they outgrew their little brooder set-up in our mudroom You’ll know when they are ready for bigger and better things! I knew it was time when my 5 year old came running in the kitchen to find me! With excitement, she quickly told me that one of the chicks had FLOWN out of the brooder! Time to go outside!

The chicks still did not have all their feathers yet, so they spent the next couple of weeks in a larger brooder in our garden

The Baby Chick Success Guide

We are kicking off this week with a giant, possibly record-breaking snowstorm here in Minnesota Yikes! However, the good news is that it’s almost March, so whatever snow we get, won’t last too long But as we wait for the snow, I’m sitting here dreaming about all things Spring! That includes baby chicks!

 

I usually add to

Preparing for Baby Chicks

Preparing for Baby Chicks

Spring is almost here!

If you’re like me, you’re excited to add some chicks to your flock! (Personally, I am hoping to add some Welsummers and Cochins!) Whether adding new breeds, or re-stocking on your old favorites, preparation is key!

 

Go ahead and have all your set-up complete and ready before your chicks arrive That way, you won’t be scrambling last minute to go buy something they need Instead, you’ll have everything in order and you can just enjoy spending time with your new babies

1 Brooder

Whether an old stock

Keeping Chicks Warm When the Power Goes Off

When an unexpected storm shuts down the power grid people are lucky  We can put a comfy fleece jacket over long johns and snuggle under a toasty quilt Baby chicks can’t   In the old days their broody mom would welcome them into her fluffed up feathers, where they’d be warmed and comforted by her  Today, most chicks rely on brooder heat that usually comes from electricity If they get too cold, they’ll perish So, how do you keep them warm when the power fails?   Fortunately, there are several ways to do it

Move the Brooder to the Warmest Place:  On

Week Two With New Chicks

The Rudd Rangers are growing right before my eyes! We have had them about 1 week, and they have grown from an average weight of 33 grams, all the way to 95 grams! Each day they grow more curious, more playful, and certainly hungrier Even though they are still fluff balls, I am starting to notice them getting more muscular and tall Their wing feathers are coming in, but I will not have to worry about them flying out of the brooder for a few more weeks still
They are relatively low maintenance at this age

Egg Layers- One Month Old Update

My lovely assortment of chicks have officially made it to the one month mark! At about 3 weeks old, they graduated to the handy-dandy chicken tractor to receive some much needed fresh air and more space They also are now eating pellets, instead of crumble It is important to always keep youngsters away from older hens If you put them together too soon, you’ll quickly see nature’s “pecking order” in full swing It is best to keep your babies separate until they are almost equal in size to full grown hens (about 4 months of age)

Egg Layers- 2 Weeks Old Update

The past few weeks have flown by with my colorful, rainbow batch of  chicks!

They have been relatively low maintenance up until this point When you  have chicks during hotter months, it is important to make sure they don’t  get overheated during the daytime

Their wing and tail feathers have grown in Usually feathers on the head  come in very last There have been 3 pleasant days where we have let them outside during the day We put them in our handy, now empty, chicken  tractor Ideally, the tractor would have rabbit wire, but it only has chicken wire Luckily, the chicks have grown in size and cannot fit through the  holes

Their first time in a bigger house was super exciting!

They ran around and flew off the grass, like little baby pigeons! Picking  grass, taking a dust bath, and practicing perching Like a proud parent, I  loved seeing all their firsts! My toddler loves sitting in the tractor with  them and she will have them tame in no time!

Unlike the Rangers, these chicks all look very different! So, naturally, we  have favorites There’s Stormy the black and white mystery girl,  Lemongrab, the one we can’t decide will be white or gray, and Sunny

Sunny is very “special” Ever since taking her out of the box, I noticed  something was off about this dark gray, almost blue, cutie She doesn’t have splay leg, but has trouble getting around She acts dizzy I have tried  different things to help her, but nothing has changed It must be a  neurological tick She is still eating, drinking, and longs to be with the  others 

Some of the chicks did develop mild cases of “pasty butt,” or as my toddler  lovingly calls it, “tasty butt” Pasty butt happens when chicks have a little  ball of poop on the outside of their little bottoms It is fairly common in  chicks that have been shipped, and thankfully, easy to fix By carefully  picking off the hard bits with a warm, wet paper towel, it is cured

Other than that, they are a lively, vivid little bouquet of chicks!

Week 4 With New Chicks

Our Rudd Ranger chicks are turning from babies into teenagers right before our eyes!

They are growing more “real” feathers, and just like true teenagers, love to act silly and play rough with each other One of their favorite things to do is run as fast as they can into another chick and at the last second, fly over its head! I gave them a couple branches in the brooder for entertainment I can see how they would easily get bored in the brooder, but it is still the safest place for them