New Chicks: 1 Week Update

Babies grow up so fast. One day they’re helpless little creatures who rely on you for everything and the next they’re jumping up and down learning how to “fly.”

The three new additions to our chicken coop and their adopted mother are doing really well. They are exhibiting some of the curiousness the other chicks we hand raised at a week old, but at the same time if they are scared will run behind Kendra who would probably protect them with her life if need be. Yesterday as I took a peek in on them to fill up their food and water I saw them trying to use their wings to fly. The wing feathers are usually the first to come in, so naturally they would want to test them out.

I can tell that Kendra is anxious to get out and stretch her wings and legs but also doesn’t want to leave her babies unattended so the next clear day I’m going to kick the big girls out of the coop for a while and let Kendra and the babies explore the run area free from the other seven hens. While she won’t be able to play in the grass, at least she will have a protected area to teach her chicks some new things.

While I was originally thinking it would be best to wait until the chicks are three weeks old before taking them out of the brooder cage, I don’t know if Kendra can wait that long. We’ll see. If the chicks look big enough to fly out of the way of the big girls next week then we will, and if not I guess they’ll have to stay in the cage with mama. There are a couple places on the cage where I could take the wire mesh off as there were holes for the old feeder (it’s an old ferret cage from my partner’s dad) that would be perfect for the little ones to climb through to get away from the big ones. If need be I’ll do that and leave the cage where it’s at so Kendra can have some leg room and the little ones will still have a protected space.

But for now they all seem to be enjoying learning how to be chickens from their mother. They scratch the floor and peck for food and are quickly learning how to use their wings to jump higher. Unfortunately we still haven’t named the Speckled Sussex. Hmmm… perhaps Kennedy, but with Tara still in the picture that could be awkward. Maybe Miss Calendar? Glory? Drusilla? Darla? Ahhh! Too many names to choose from!