3 Weeks old

Mermaid - 3 Weeks

So the chicks are 23 days old now.  I keep saying that I am so surprised how quick they are growing but I really mean it.  The chicks are only have a little bit of fuzz on their heads left and are eating a ton!
Their chocolate red color is also really coming in too.

Sleeping Beauty Princess Aurora - 3 weeks

One of the other things I have noticed is Sleeping Beauty's smaller size and the term "pecking order" comes to mind.  I think she isn't getting as much to eat as the other chicks.  Belle is kinda the big chick bitch in the box and seems to push out the other chicks from the feeder.  Its hard to see but its natural and the way of the world.

Belle - 3 weeks

So, what do you call a chick thats not quite a chicken but also not quite a chick?  A PULLET!  A pullet, is kind of like a teenage chicken.  A pullet kind of reminds me of a high school kid having sex. They can lay eggs like a chicken but aren't quite old enough to take care of 'em.  ;)   Our chicks are definitely at that middle school age now and will be full pullets very soon.

Perch

The chicks have been standing on their food dish. I think it's because it's the highest place they can get. That's good and all but the way the dish is set up, when they stand on the top, because the dish is circular, no matter what direction that face, their back end drops a nice poop right in their food dish. So, I had the idea to make a little perch for them to sit on and give then the lookout view they have been trying to achieve on the dish.

This morning, I took a couple twigs and branches out of the yard and some wire and built this perch. I was happy to see Princess Aurora sitting on it this evening! Thanks girls!

2 Weeks old

So, the chicks are now two weeks old.  They look 80% chicken and 20% chick.  

Since the chicks are getting so big, I thought it was a good time to upgrade their box. I didn't have time to make a wire top so to prevent another 'Escape from Alcatraz', I got a nice tall box. I also got a long box so the chicks could move out from under the heat lamp if they want to cool down a little.

Chicks move up from their small NYC apartment to their Chick Condo. 

Chicks getting warm after their wait in the shower during the box "remodel"

Mermaid, Princess Aurora Sleeping Beauty, Belle - 2 Weeks old

Clipping Chicken Wings

So, life in the Swift's Chick'n Shack may not be the Ritz Carlton but I never thought it would never consider it Alcatraz! The chicks must think their current home is similar to life on a prison island and attempted to escape.  For one chick, Belle, her escape attempt proved successful and she flew out of the box setting off security alarms which notified the surrounding county and city police forces but mostly freaking my wife out.

This news of the chicks flight ability (The Wright Brothers would have been proud) prompted a quick interweb search on when and how to clip chicken wings.  Being a teacher, I found three great resources depending on your learning style, attention span but more distinguishing, age.  ;)

1 - Reading: 40+ years old
http://www.chickenkeepingsecrets.com/keeping-chickens/clipping-chicken-wings-why-when-how/

2- Pictures: 25-39 years old

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-clip-trim-the-wings-of-your-chicken-to-prevent-flight


3 - 35 sec Video:18 and younger

From the research, it seems best to clip only one wing. Does anyone out there in blogger world have experience or hints on how to clip chicken wings?!

As I have not done it yet, I will let you know how it goes!  

Chicks 1 Week old video

A friends daughter requested a video of the chicks. So here is a little video clip of the girls...  enjoy!

3chicks

Mermaid Ariel, Sleeping Beauty Princess Aurora, and Belle

1 week old

Week 1

1 Day old                                                                                                            1 week old

Well, we have had our chicks for 1 week now.  I am still very much amazed on how quick they are changing. We check on the chicks about every hour when I am home.  I like to make sure that Lucy comes in with me to say hi to the little girls and gets a chance to pet them too...

Its been a fun week but I am having trouble keeping the water dish clean of shavings.  As soon as I stopped using the newspaper for the bottom of the box, I have had to clean the wood shavings out of the water about every hour. I gotta figure out a way to raise the waterer to keep the shavings out but keep it low enough for the chicks. I hope a solution comes to me soon...

Chicks and their pine flavored water!  ;)

Day 4

Here is a picture of "Mermaid Ariel" on day 4! Enjoy!

Shake your tail feather!

Going along with the last post about the chicks changing fast, when I checked in the chickens this morning, their tail fathers had already started coming in and their wings are very pronounced! We have now had them 3 days and I feel by the weeks end they will be full blown chickens! ;)

Growing quick

I was blown away by how fast the chicks are changing! The 'fluffy chick' look doesnt last long! Check out this photo of the chicks just 1 day after getting them. Pay attention to the wings...

Denver Chicken Swap

I came across this site that has a chicken swap every month.

http://www.denverurbanhomesteading.com/new_page_3.htm

They also have some great information for raising chickens for all the folks who live in Denver.

They're talking to me!

Here is a video of my daughter when we brought our chicks home!  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrUtYQn7fLw

The chicks arrive!

I got a call today at work. It was the Golden Mill saying our Rhode Island Reds arrived! After work, the family loaded up and stopped by the store.  $12 later ($4 per chick), we took our new chickys home.

I had some names picked out, but Lucy wanted to call them "Princess Aurora Sleeping Beauty", "Belle" and of course "Mermaid". I'll ask again tomorrow and see if her princess inspired names have stuck! :)

Its been a long time coming... So here are a couple photos and I'll post a video soon.

Chick feeder

Chick feeder

$3.50 Golden Mill

Meeting #1

So, I went to the first City of Golden Planning Dept meeting this afternoon.  I met with two people from the city as well as another Goldenite who is also trying to get a small animal permit.  The employees from the city were very nice and trying make the process quick as well as finding ways to make a small animal permit more streamlined. The other person trying to get a permit, actually had a neighbor come by in support of getting some chickens.

I however had a letter that was submitted by a gentlemen who lives a handfull of houses south of me just on the border of the 500ft. radius of notification.  He wasn't specifically protesting my animal permit, but more so complaining about people having chickens.  His complaint was in regards to attracting flies, and excessive smell and noise.  The people at the city said that since he is not directly adjacent to my property as well as I am locating the coop at the end of our house near the alley, that his complaint shouldn't interfere with my process of acquiring the small animal permit.

So, the next step with the COG is to attend a meeting at City Hall in early May.  With the chicks arriving soon, I am hedging my bets and planning that the rest of my permit will go along with no other issues!  Wish me luck!