Baby Chicks!

From the left is Stoney (our Welsummer), Marley (our Black Australorp), and Mooney (our Cuckoo Maran)

 

After only a week of having the chickens, I decided to call the feed store to see when they were getting chicks. They said they had just got them in. So, within 2 days we were off to pick out our chicks and get our supplies. We got them at 3 days old and they are now 9 days. The growth rate is amazing! There are visible changes every day. We love these little guys. 

 We have been doing a lot of experimentation. The staff at the feed store told us to use pellets as their bedding, but we found that they were pecking at them. So I switched around some feeders and they were doing pretty well with those this first week. However, Daniel and I were reading not to use pellets alone. So we eventually switched to newspaper and then paper towels, which work great for absorption, cleanup, and the chicks' grip. Eventually we will use shavings.

They love to cuddle together! Mooney starts chirping super loudly if any of it's buddies are being held by one of us: "Hey, where is my friend!?" Actually, Lukey's theory is that Mooney will be a rooster. Probably true, because Mooney is kind of a spazzy loud one. The reason the boys picked this one out was because it was the prettiest, also perhaps a sign of a cockerel. We will find out within a couple weeks, I guess. 

 Stoney in the middle is Jared's baby. We are assuming she will be a hen. She is seemingly wise and all-knowing. She is also the biggest chick of the 3. Marley, on the left, is Lukey's bird. She was named after Bob Marley because she is the mellow, peaceful one.

 

You can tell they are a few days older here and there feathers are noticeably growing, as well as their bodies.  

 After a week, we changed to a different feeder and the paper towel bedding.

 Nighty night, babies.

Look at those tails! It's so much fun watching them develop and flourish. I can 't wait til they become layers, because Stoney and Mooney (that is if she isn't a he), will be giving us chocolate colored eggs! So awesome!

Have a great day everyone. 

Peep, Peep!!

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From Just a Dream To Raising Chickens

We have finally got our chickens!! Last fall I was discussing with a fellow mom at Jared's school about how we wanted to start our homestead by raising chickens once Daniel was back to work. I told her I didn't feel we could afford it at that time, so she held on to 4 of her 20 chickens for me. Well, she stuck to her word because just this last Saturday we went and picked the girls up. Thanks, Katie.

We wanted to be as frugal as possible, so I went to the library and grabbed several references on chickens. Self-Education = $0

Then, Daniel picked up some old fencing from his mom's house. We also had some boards laying around. Lumber = $0

Chicken wire, hardware cloth, and screws and nails were all things we had laying around sorta speak, as well. Other Needed Building Materials = $0

Wheels were taken from a rolling gardener seat that was not being utilized. Wheels That Turn the Coop Into a Chicken Tractor = $0

Chickens = $0

Hay, Feeder, Waterer, and a 50 Lb Bag of Pellets = $30

$30 Total (Not including gas)? Not too bad.

Chicken tractor in the making....

 

Here, we have it parked in the garden to get it tilled (from scratching) and fertilized (nitrogen-rich poop...Yummy). They love to roam!!

Daniel still has to complete the roofing. But, for now, it is sufficient. We plan on making a larger run and expanding the coop as we expand our flock in the future. 

This is Goldie. She is our Araucana. She is special because she is the only one of our 4 that gives us light green eggs.

Rhody and Brownie (aka Brown Head, according to Jared), are our Rhode Island Reds. They are the friendliest of the 3 breeds, I have noticed. Rocky, our Plymouth Rock, is behind them.

Dust baths. They love it!

Here is a better shot of Rocky.

 Goldie wedged her way in Brownie's dust bath hole. Heeheehee...

They really are quite amusing to watch and have very distinct personalities. 

And in the first 3 days, this is what the girls gave us. :) 

Chickens are awesome!! We totally want more now, but we will take it day by day.

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