They are no fancy breed, just white chickens that the markets sell and who fatten up nicely for the table. A friend and I want to move away from having to buy them from the markets where we do not know their living conditions so these are our first hatch from her incubator - 12 little bundles of fluff who may be small but were flippin' hard to catch come bedtime. Hopefully soon, they will work out by themselves how to get upstairs to their sleeping area but in the meantime it's "catch the chick" every evening. (Not that I am really complaining - they are so cute!)
Awwww they are lovely :) Do you have them on any heat at all?
ReplyDeleteChicks never loose the awww factor.
They were under a lamp until a couple of days ago. Now they have a sunny spot plus an extra warm bed - a box surrounded by lots of sheep's wool upstairs in the chicken coop. They survived a sharp frost last night and found their way downstairs this morning :-)
ReplyDeleteFantastic ..how old? I really am beginning to question if chicks need as much heat for as long as we are led to believe.
ReplyDeleteWatching a broody with her chicks they rarely go to her for warmth.Certainly not continously, as they do with a lamp. I'm wondering if the electric hen is a more natural way.
They look lovely! How long will they take to mature?
ReplyDeleteSandra - they were 10-12 days old when I got them and had been off the lamp for a couple of days. It would have been sooner but it was very cold. Now they have a snug bedroom with a box on its side filled with straw and surrounded by wool. Very cosy and they are doing just fine.
ReplyDeleteWW - hi there stranger. They should be ready for eating in around 5-6 months time. Fancy a roast dinner round the end of October then?