Baby Chicks are here: What Kind Are They
Little brown and orange chicks with feathers on their legs. Bantam chicks. Anyone know the name?
My granddaughters and I could not resist the sign that said baby chicks for sale 1.50. Okay, so they can't read. I couldn't resist it. We stopped at a little house where an elderly couple lived. They had a huge garden plowed, about 50 or more tomato plants to put in, and the elderly man said he just didn't garden like he used to! They had peacocks that strutted for the girls, goats, and lots of chickens on this little place tucked in behind other houses. We picked out our 4 chicks three which were two weeks old, and one (because it was smaller and sweeter according to the girls) that was one week old. Next a stop at the feed store for chick feed and a feeder. We had an old cage that had been used for transporting something at one time, and in they went in the back yard. It was a beautiful day and they enjoyed the grass under their feet. They stayed in my office during the day because of the next week of constant rain, and unfortunately we lost the youngest one. An appropriate burial took place at my granddaughters house, officiated by my son. I think it is his turn to take over this practice, after years of me assisting with the burial of dogs, cats, birds, squirrels, lizards..............
Now that they are getting larger, I think we are left with two roosters and one hen. They are little bantam chicks with feathers on their legs. Can anyone identify them?
The feed store is going to have sexed chicks next weekend. The owner said they sold out of the last chicks in two days and says that plants and seeds are selling like wildfire. I think everyone is taking this self sufficiency idea seriously. I want to buy about 3 more hens and think that will be enough. We have a very large fenced in area, but chickens can clear out an area with their scratching in no time. I also have a portable pen my son will bring me, but it will hold only about 3 chickens at a time. We can move this around outside the fenced in area to give them more room. I can't let them roam freely because of neighborhood dogs, and the last chickens we had chose my deck railing to roost at night. Chicken poop everywhere.
Send me all your comments on raising chicks, coops etc, and help me identify these chicks.
6 Comments:
What fun! I just got my meat chicks the other day and my layers will be here in a few weeks. I can't wait! Yours are so cute but I don't know what the bantes are. Have fun and check out www.backyardchickens.com
Great site to spend way too much time on!
By
Heather, At
May 9, 2009 at 11:55 AM
i don't know what your chicks are but giggling about how the kids got you involved in a new adventure karen! i like the portable coop idea and have read about them alot and seen them used on a show on the create channel. it will be cool if you end up getting fresh eggs out of the deal. you mention neighbors, do you live in town? our town prohibits backyard barn animals and i feel lucky the powers that be don't object to the bees. my brother would love to raise chicks and we have often thought of petitioning to at least get our town to allow peeps to raise a few chickens. would be cool if the obama's got a few chickens to add to their victory garden! big hugs and good luck with your new additions! :)
By
Comfrey Cottages, At
May 16, 2009 at 4:52 AM
Leslie,
We live in the county, so there are no restrictions as far as chickens, cows etc. Don't think I would want to try pigs since we are just a few hundred feet from one neighbor. The chicks are growing, and I think I have two roosters. We will need to pick up a couple more hens if I expect any eggs.
Karen
By
Unknown, At
May 17, 2009 at 6:50 AM
Sounds like your chicks are bantam cochins? We live with 20+ free-range hens and one rooster. We have found that more than one rooster means too much competition and leads to cranky roosters who are just mean. Our first year all three roosters (oops!) flogged my children after which, well . . . let's say I learned to make coq au vin! There is no need for a rooster unless you want babies, and we've realized after hatching 30+ babies over the last three years,and losing every one, that it's much easier to buy them at the feed store. All that said, if you decide to keep one, at least bantam roosters are small. Good luck, and keep those chicks under a heat lamp until they are fully feathered (around 6-8weeks)--they like to be about 95 degrees and a small room thermometer in their enclosure is their best friend for now.
By
Unknown, At
May 18, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Love your site! I was going to say Cochin too. We have a Cochin hen and rooster. Momma Bootsie is currently raising 6 baby guineas for me.
By
Kentucky Farm Girl, At
May 27, 2009 at 5:53 AM
That's interesting to hear the rooster report from someone who's obviously given it a fair try. Me, I can't live around something that makes loud noise from first light to sunup.
I have a friend who calls those portable chicken pens "chicken tractor" because there's a book about using them to enrich both chickens and land. I just googled "chicken tractor" and came up with many hits, including the first one with 140 pictures of different homemade versions.
By
DS, At
May 30, 2009 at 4:10 PM
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