Monthly Archives: March 2016

Day 2

This morning I got up and had not heard a peep. I went downstairs to check out the situation and they were all sleeping. Some were standing up sleeping, and others were all laid out fast asleep. I turned on the basement light and instantly they woke up and were chirping. I decided to put down fresh paper towels and add fresh water. I came back down a few hours later and as you can tell from the picture below, they really make a mess. Food spread all out, and poop everywhere!

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We’re still trying to figure out who is who. The chicks came with a few marks on their heads. We are assuming the Buff Orpington, with the blue and orange stripes, is the only rooster we bought. The other ones we think are Orpingtons have a single orange mark on their head. If this is the rooster, he does sit a little taller than all the others. He also has done the most “pecking” and keeping others in line.

Rooster?

Rooster?

Another look at the top of the possible rooster.

Another look at the top of the possible rooster

We also purchased

-4 Barred Rocks.

Barred Rock

Barred Rock

-4 Rhode Island Reds

Closer look at the Rhode Island Red.

Closer look at the Rhode Island Red.

RI Reds feathers

RI Reds feathers

and 2 White Leghorns and 5 Buff Orpingtons. It is so hard to tell the Buff Orpingtons and Leghorns apart.

White leghorn or Buff Orpington

White leghorn or Buff Orpington

White leghorn or Buff Orpington

White leghorn or Buff Orpingtons

As the days go by we’ll find out who the rooster is, that is unless another one sneaked in.

 

The chickens have arrived!

I was going to write about how we set the feeders out and turned the lights on and were anxiously awaiting the chickens arrival tomorrow. Well, I received a call from Farm & Fleet at 10:20am today saying the chickens made a surprise arrival one day early. Away I went in the car to go get them. I had to get to work at noon so I was on a time crunch. Brock boiled some water and turned the heat lamp on. We have read multiple times that chickens need a little sugar water to get some energy depending on how hard their trip was. We just decided no matter what, we were going to give it a try. Brock boiled 3 tablespoons of sugar to one quart of water. I picked up the box of chickens and headed home. The chirping was quite entertaining!

Chickens taking a little ride.

Chickens taking a little ride.

Here they are!

Here they are!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made it home and down to the brooder I went. Before we placed them inside the brooder we dipped their beaks into water to get them going. They knew right away what to do.

Baby chick getting its first drink.

Baby chick getting its first drink.

Warming up from the ride home.

Warming up from the ride home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water was the number one concern and that seemed to be going well. Now onto the chick starter. Instantly they walked over to the feeders and started eating, whew! We kept hearing some scratching at the door and knew Joey was wanting to see what we were doing. He will be on a leash in the basement from here on out. All he wanted to do was smell them, and jump in to see what was making all the noise. As of 10 hours after getting the chickens, everyone is alive and well. Here’s to their first night at the Boss Homestead!!

Trying out food for the first time.

Trying out food for the first time.

Joey meeting his new friends.

Joey meeting his new friends.

First potty break.

First potty break.

Look closely, Joey is keeping watch.

Look closely, Joey is keeping watch.