If you have read this blog for a while or know me IRL, you know that last year, our flock of chickens was massacred by a group of foxes. It was terrible. We were left with 4 hens. So it has been a long winter of a tiny flock huddled together in the non-heated chicken coop and we actually had to resort to buying eggs because they weren't producing.
So I was so happy today when our new chicks came in! We bought 8 new chicks - 4 Sussex and - per the recommendation of the feed store - 4 Rhode Island Reds. We brought the little cheepers home and put them in an aquarium where they will live for the first couple of weeks.
First, though, they had to meet some family members:
Our boys are SO well behaved! I don't have to worry about them at all with the baby chicks! I was actually more worried about the cats!!
Evolution is an AMAZING and wonderful thing. These chicks are literally 2 days old. I had the aquarium all set up with shavings and food and the heat lamp ready to be plugged in. I put the chicks in the aquarium and Marc started to adjust the light while I poured them some fresh water. I turned around to put the water in the tank and all 8 of the little buggers had already found the food and were chowing down!!
I always say that the chickens are so stupid, but look - they can survive on their own at 2 days old! A human baby can't do that!
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So, they'll stay in the aquarium for a while and then out into a pen we have in the basement until they are old enough to go into the coop and be integrated with the rest of the flock. If we're lucky, they'll start producing eggs by September!
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