Growing Chicks

Thursday, June 17, 2021 (In 10 more days June’s fullest [Strawberry] moon will rise.)

Early this morning there’s a blue cloudless sky. The local area is in for another nice day. Yesterday’s welcome warmth encouraged me to roll my baby chickens’ coop outside for their first view of sky. They were calm and accepting.

So different from a couple of days ago after I put their food and water into containers they’d not seen before. Setting those into their brooder frightened the seven pea-brains. They began squawking, leaping, and trying to hide. I expected behavior similar, on their first look-up, spotting treetops and sky.

In fact, they were quiet and liked being outside. They’re growing like weeds, appear to have become fully feathered, not needing an overhead infrared light. But I need that light, because without it cannot see well enough through a covering screen into their brooder. So, still the light’s still on, but setting off the brooder’s edge and not overproducing heat.

I’m about to start building a rolling coop with sides of wire, to transport these babies to the large outdoors coop. There, they’ll remain inside their vehicle and safely surrounded by wire, becoming introduced to my last remaining hen, Welsummer, and to her sharing-space twin goats. I’m hoping this happens next week.

Cooped chickens are a territorial flock. Welsummer owns the place and needs to become accustomed to the incoming lot. The goats are territorial and protective, willingly butt any non-human intruder out of their space. I’ve kept chickens and goats penned together and never with a problem, for they have a mutually symbiotic relationship.

It’s hard to resist baby chicks, the feed store still has a few, but I’ve more than enough. My interest isn’t about eggs which I eat rarely, but because chickens are great pets, unless there are too many. So far, my most bold and friendly chick is the Dominant Copper Maran. This breed was developed in the Czech Republic, and my little one has feathered feet. So fun!

Dear Friends: If you live where chickens are allowed, the birds are enjoyable, so are fresh eggs. Diana