Hot Chicks!

We did it! We found our chickens. We went to the Denver Urban Homesteading Chick Festival and picked out 3 little winners. We ended up on compromising between a newly hatched chick and an older bird. We chose 4 week old chicks that are just about done with their heatlamp phase and can move on outside whenever it stops snowing in Denver.

We chose 2 Easter Eggers, which we've been told will lay eggs the color of their ears (yes, chickens have ears) and 1 Barred Rock (known to be a great egg producer).

Meet Elinor, the Barred Rock:

 Maggie May: Our Easter Egger #1

And last but not least, Strawberry Manilow (Aka: Berry) our tiny Easter Egger.

Let me start by saying. Chickens are nasty. They're messy and rude. I keep trying to replace their bedding chips and they thank me by promptly kicking them out of their cage. I bring them fresh water and they poop in it. However. They are fun. The kids love holding them and checking on them, which is happening frequently today since we have some sub-zero windchills at the moment. They're very loud when they're unhappy. They've been snuggled up by their heat lamp all day and when we try to hold them, they flip out because they're cold. It's a good way to learn about the complaining that chickens do.

They also eat a ton. We had a gallon baggie of feed and we've gone through half in 3 days.  And, they drink almost an entire mason jar of water every day. We've been checking on them about 3-5 times per day, which is recommended at this age. So be sure you have the time!

And! They're already establishing their infamous "pecking order". Maggie May is the biggest, and therefore, the bossiest. Every time we take Berry or Elinor out to hold, (and we're trying to hold them frequently so that they're used to being handled by the kids. Makes for more kid friendly hens) upon putting them back in their pen, Maggie attacks them with pecks, feathers spread. It's kind of hilarious. And Sul-train, my almost 7 year old, scolds her and tells her to play nice with our friends.

So now what? Now we build our coop. Of course this is Denver, so it was 70 yesterday, 7 today and should be in the 60's by Friday again. So that will be one of our weekend projects. Stay tuned for photos of the side yard transformation to our soon-to-be-awesome chicken garden!