Bye Week Three

And poof week three is gone. It's been a busy week too. A field trip, shopping, a birthday party, birthday dinners and two worn out kids. The chicks didn't get the half hour of one on one time with me this week but I did what I could. Darby took flight this week. She flew from the big chair and landed on the couch. Their favorite treat is hard boiled egg whites. Crystal, being the smallest you would think that if she got a treat she would eat it fast or run and hide to eat it. No she runs around the brooder peeping she fool head off. I'm not sure if she is dumb or if she likes it when she gets chased. Honey is getting huge. She got to ride on my shoulder for the first time and she seemed to enjoy it. I told her better do it while she is a chick because I'm not sure I'll be able to comfortably have an eight pound bird on the shoulder. I'm hoping that this Sunday will be warm enough and not too windy to take the chicks outside for the first time. I will be sure to get video of that. And I am still working on a way to post the slide show of the chick growth chart.

Toddler Stage?

I'm not sure if I am being accurate but to compare the chicks to my children I think I'm right on. In both the physical and emotional means the chicks are starting to act like toddlers. The chicks are starting to fight to establish a pecking order. Human toddlers scream, cry and hit at their friends because they are trying to get their own way and don't have the words to do that properly. The chicks have become very messy eaters. More food ends up in the bedding then in their tummys. Our toddlers are messy eaters learning how to use their fingers and forks to eat with. If a chick gets a treat she'll run around the brooder playing keep away. If a toddler has a cool toy or treat they run up to their friends and say "Neener Neener Neener!" (this of course would earn my kids a time out and get their snack or toy taken away) And lastly a toddler is going through a big change in their bodies and they look a little awkward running and playing. The chicks with their fast growing and feathers coming in look a little scruffy and gangling. What will the next stage hold? Whinny, attitude, back talking kindergartners? Oh gosh I hope not I already have one of those! LOL. No not really Megan is a pretty good kid but she is a girl and she has her moments.

Week Two

In a flash there goes week two. Oh my how big they got. And they look really scruffy too. Crystal is a sweet heart and very calm. She lets Megan do anything to her and she hardly even peeps about. Darby is still a wild chick. She'll fly off the big chair, fit the ground and start running. I'm not sure if she is running to explore or if she is trying to get out of spending time with my wild child Emily. Honey is a gem and I love her. I'll hold her and she cuddles on me. If I had her in diapers I'd have her ride on my shoulder she really likes it. I don't have much planned for week three. This is a busy weekend so I don't know when the girls will have time to spend with their chicks. I will keep everyone updated as the week goes on. Happy Peeping.

OK Floor Time is Over!

Alright I have to come up with a new way for the girls to play with the chicks. Between the girls not listening to me and the chicks running off the sheet all I am doing is yelling. Yesterday Darby wanted nothing to do with Emily and I can't blame her. Who wants to be picked up then set down then picked up again over and over. Megan won't let Crystal be. She holds her and keeps her from exploring and then tries to push treats in her face. UURRGG! What drought last night to a halt was that Emily squished Crystal so hard that she peeped screamed. So I think that we are going to go to one on one time. I'll let Emily hold Darby in the big chair when Megan is at school and Megan can hold Crystal when Emily is in bed. I'll still have my time with each chick later at night when all is quiet. Soon the chicks will be big enough to spend time with all of us in the outside pen. That will be a big milestone for all of us.

School Chicks

At Megan's school the kindergarten classes got about 20 hatching eggs from McMurray Hatchery. They got the Assorted Top Hat package which could hatch into a variety of breeds that have feather poofs on top of their heads; Buff laced, Golden, Silver, White, Black and White Crested Black Polish, Mottled Houdans, Crevecoeurs, and Sultans. The classes candled the eggs a few times during the three weeks of incubation. At first all the eggs looked viable but as the days passed fewer and fewer eggs looked alive. This weekend they hatched and only four chicks out of the twenty made it out of their eggs. One of those four didn't make it and one of the three remaining chicks is missing an eye. It may be a bit disappointing but at least they have three that seem to be doing quiet well. Watch them all turn out to be Roosters! If I had to made my best guess from the pictures I've seen on the Internet I would have to say that all three chicks are the Golden Polish. We will just have to wait and see. I'll keep you posted.

My Little Honey

Aw my little Honey girl. She real is a sweet heart. The picture of her wing was taken on day 11. She has a beautiful set of baby feathers and loves to fly off the top of the food jar. The picture on the right is Honey cuddling under my hand. If I take my hand away then put it down in another spot she'll come over and push her way back under it. I think she thinks my hand is her Mama Hen. When I let her sit on my chest (on a towel) she will climb up to my neck and peep in my ear. She'll even try to climb to the top of my head. But I won't let her. I don't want poop on my bed. I am really falling in love with her.

First Treats

I asked a few people on my yahoo groups what would be a good first chick treat. Almost everyone told me eggs, hard boiled or scrambled. So I put some out on the blanket I use for "floor time" with the girls. As you can see they pecked at it but the girls didn't really give them a chance to really enjoy their treat. I'll try again during my one on one time with them to see if it goes over a little better.