Last week we welcomed six baby chicks to the farm. There are three Buff Plymouth Rocks and three Rhode Island Reds. Both are heritage varieties that lay large brown eggs. The chicks were 2.5 weeks old when we got them and now only one week later they have already doubled in size. Their down fur is quickly being replaced with mature feathers.
Our favorite time of the day is the morning. One by one, I pull them out of their cage and place them on the floor of the barn. They get to run round and stretch their wings for 30 minutes while I clean their mess, top up the food and refresh the water supply. Their favorite games at the moment are finding things to peck at, attempting to fly and steal whatever is of interest in their sisters beak. I’m sure they can’t wait to get outside but for now they are far too vulnerable to all the predators here i.e. coyotes and birds of prey. So their cage and heat lamp will have to do for now.
We also have 8 more chicks waiting to be hatched. They should arrive in mid May. We can’t wait to grow the flock!
