They're Growing!

We take the chicks outside to play everyday. They mostly stay in one spot

and like to huddle under the roses. They're getting hard to catch so we have

to wait until they fall asleep to bring them back inside.

Nancy is my bold and curious girl.

She is alway the first to come check things out.

As you can see the girls are growing and will soon be feathered out enough to live outside in their coop. As for the coop, I have been looking high and low for one that's affordable and large, but haven't had much luck. Did you know a new coop costs about $600, and the ones on Craigslist that are used aren't much cheaper? I was getting desperate because the chicks need to live outside soon, but sorting out their coop situation was problematic until I realized we have a perfectly sized garden shed that we never use out back that would be perfect for them. So this weekend we're hauling all the rusty, crusty tools out (the ones that are still useful will get moved into the garage) and then overhauling the shed into a new coop. All we have to do is weather and predator proof it, build the nesting boxes and roosting bar, and build a pen for them to play in and viola! new coop for around $200. I'm really happy because not only am I saving money and recycling the shed, but it's a great size for my flock. I will try to remember to take pictures of the project.

Finally Got Them!

Last Saturday I went to Love Apple Farm in Ben Lomond and took a chicken raising class. There were two big boxes filled with tiny fluffy chicks
This is one of the breeds we got - a Cuckoo Marans (ours is named Doug)
who will lay beautiful chcolate colored eggs

Cody and Doug hanging out. Doug is our favorite!
I had no idea chickens were so friendly and curious.

Here are all four chicks sleeping in a pile.

From left to right: Doug, Nancy, Willow and Buffy.

Kate and Bryce came by to check the chicks out. Here is Kate and Willow.

Nancy is always climbing on top of the food container

to see what's going on in the world. Here are Cody and Nancy.

The class was very interesting and along with the four chicks I was sent home with instructions on how to brood them, a heat lamp and some chick starter. I ended up with four different breeds who will all lay different colored eggs sometime in the spring.