The Chicken Diaries - Week 1

They have grown a bit in one week!

I moved them out of the blue rat cage base because they were kicking litter and poo and food everywhere. Now they are in a cardboard box with high walls. The light hangs a bit more safely now too, as it's not touching anything and we stopped using paper towel on the tray after the 3rd or 4th day.

They were constantly kicking litter into their water bowl, so I had to keep fishing out soggy paper pellets which was gross (and they look like poo when wet), so I elevated the water on a small box and that seems to have solved the problem.

Now they are consistently eating out of my hand and the kids hands. At first you had to put your hand in there and be quiet for 5 minutes before they'd come to eat food from your hand, but now they come straight to your hand to eat, which is really cute.

They are getting more feathers and some are even getting tail feathers!

Bubbles has started getting tail feathers and is one of the larger chicks. She crouches down when you put your hand on her, which makes me think she's a girl, but you never know...

Cacciatore is the smallest but is the one who will come to your hand to eat first, and often will climb onto your hand and you can lift your hand out of the box with her on it.

Mary is also one of the larger chicks. Personally I think Mary is a boy...

Spot is not as big as Mary, and has a funny little crest just above the beak. She hasn't got any tail feathers yet.

The chickens are used to being handled, but if you don't hold their wings down there is a lot of flapping that makes you worry they are stressed. My son is scared to hold the chickens still but is happy to pat them and let them eat out of his hand, but my daughter loves to pick up the chicks and feed them and walks around the house holding them.

More progress photos next week!