Peep

Learn chicken learn!

Meet the newest members of our brood. Finally, new chickens! 36 35 34 (eeks, one didn’t get out of the way of the waterer in time and one was pecked to death. I’ll spare you the gory details) of varying breeds: mostly Americanas mixed with Rhode Island Reds and Goldens. They are now 3 4 10 weeks old (I’m as usual a little behind)  and these things grow like monsters!

They started out all little round balls of fluff. I see now why people fall for the oh, it’s just a cute little chick! around Easter. One week later they were gangly, awkward pre-teens. Four weeks later, they’re full on teens just trying to fit into their bodies and with “hair” sprouting in all kinds of unlikely places. And at 11 weeks, they’re basically fat  miniature chickens.  Time flies if you’re a chicken.

They are living in a well-intended, but scrappy outdoor sled that we can move around the yard so they get their pick of bugs, seed and grass. However, I figure at the rate they grow, we’re going to need a full-size chicken coop and yard within 1 month…or less NOW.

Ah, another item for the list.  John is hard at work and it’s about halfway done.  They’ll also have access to the pasture, we just have to teach them how and when to come back into the “safe” coop area (see post above).  In the meantime, we have put an extended temporary fence area around their sled so they can have more room to roam and peck.

Another few months and we should start seeing tester eggs of all colors!