The chicks have all survived and are approximately three weeks old now. I have increased their living space twice already. It is absolutely amazing how fast birds of any kind develop. They are still living on the porch, now in a two room condo with dual perches and a larger waterer. Soon they will move to the garage, but not quite yet. I need to be able to check on them regularly, as they clutter their waterer up hourly. One thing chickens are without doubt… messy.
While I built the new condo out of two weber grill boxes I got out of the dumpsters at a hardware and appliance store, the chicks got to spend an hour in the grass and sun. Not quite sure what to do out there, they just stood around staring at the surroundings. They can’t live outside yet, as they still need the warmth of the heatlamp and drafts aren’t good for them. Nursery hatched chicks do not have a mom they can scramble under for warmth and protection, so we have to provide it for them.
You can see in just three weeks time how their feathers are developing…and they are twice the size they were when I brought them home.
Condo back on the porch… see how they are all huddled in the corner? It took them half a day to figure out it was ok to walk into the other “room”. There is now netting over the top, as they will be able to flutter out of the boxes shortly.
Rain for the next few days, then I’ll show you how everything is greening up around here!