This will be our third year purchasing chicks from the farm store. Currently we still have 9 older ladies from the first year, and 18 hens from last year, and now 24 chicks this year. We started out with purchasing 15 chicks a few days before the annual 5 free chicks at Coastal. The boys and I went in on the Saturday of Coastal Farms 5 free chicks to get the free chicks (free if you buy some food), so we then had a total of 20. However within the first week or so we lost two of the free chicks, not sure why. So the following week Jennie was going in to town and went by Wilco, and ended up coming home with 6 more chicks.
The kids have gotten better at spotting chicks that are having problems with poop sticking to their fuzzy bottoms. This can build up and actually prevent them from being able to go potty, and ultimately kill them. So, here is something that 5 years ago I would never of even guessed I would be doing, and that is taking a baby wipe dipped in warm water and wiping a chicks bottom. They are never very happy about it, and their friends make fun of them when you put them back in because their back half is soaking wet.
Chicks in a take-home box
Lily holding a chick with help.
We started with two water's, one feeder and one heat lamp. There are marbles in the water to help keep them from climbing in the water and getting soaked. We set them up on bricks to get them up higher and keep them a little cleaner, but they still need to have the wood shavings cleaned out daily. We start them in our chick nursery. But with 24 chicks they only lasted in there for about a month before they ran out of space.
It is fun to watch them fall asleep. Sometimes they are standing and you can see their eyes close, and then the head starts to droop. So cute!
They only stay cute and fuzzy for a few weeks before the real feathers start to come and they enter the awkward tween stage of some fuzz and some feathers.
Last weekend we moved them out of the nursery and into the other side of the chicken house which has a fenced 8'x8' run that they can explore the outdoors in. The run is covered with chicken wire as well to protect them from hawks, and mean chickens.
Fun you guys! We loved hatching and having chicks. My mom has them now, but that was a really fun experience. And I agree, almost nothing so funny as when they fall asleep standing up and droop their heads down to the floor :)
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