Safety first!

After seeing how excited Bixby was with the chicks I decided to add an extra barrier for at least the first year. I bought a portable fence to put around the coop. It is 10 x 10 x 6 feet tall. The chicks can roam around in the pen and I won't have to worry about them with the dogs. Hopefully the chicks won't stick their heads through the fence!

Billina and Spot are the most independent of the 4 chicks, pictured here at ~ 6 weeks. They like to roost on the top edge of their box. Billina, aka Ms Congeniality,  is the most sociable of the 4. She actually jumps up to greet us and wants her chest rubbed. She is starting to get her wattle now also. We really hope she is not a cockerel! They start trying to crow at about 5 weeks and since they are now 6 weeks and no cock-a-doodle-doos,  it looks good. Scott loves her and says she loves him too so she wouldn't be reduced to the frying pan anyway but a rooster in the backyard would not make us very popular in the neighborhood. The hens are starting to out grow their box and it will be good to get them into the coop.

A visit to the coop

The hens had a short visit to the coop at 4 weeks. The weather was nice so I took them out for some fresh air. It was a bit of a process though...catching them and transporting them upstairs and outside without the help of 3 cats and 2 dogs. Then in reverse to put them back in the heated box. The night time temperature is not warm enough and they are not old enough to make the permanent move into an unheated coop. They need to be 8 weeks and the outside temperature not below 50. It has been cooler than usual this spring. However, it will be hot soon enough! When they were in the coop they really seemed to enjoy it. They could manage to slide down the ramp but their legs are not long enough yet to climb back up. The dogs were tooooo interested. Bixby will be a challenge to train.

entering the dinosaur phase

dinosaur strut

new feathers and colors

Billina showing off her comb

Spot showing off her new comb

perching and preening

At 3 weeks the chicks have lost there fuzz and they are starting to get their feathers.  They are at the gangly stage with long legs and big feet and sparse feathers...aka dinosaur chicks.  They are all starting to show the colors and markings of adulthood.  The buffs are getting some of the rust colored feathers, Spot is getting her barred black and white feathering and hen maddox hen is getting her speckles.  They began roosting this week so I added another perch.  I also noticed their combs are starting to show.  They are curious about what we are doing when we look in on them and they cock their heads to one side and look up at us with one eye.  Of course, when I am there I usually refill their feeder so all the more reason for them to be curious.