Chickies all around!

I talked to a friend whose new home already had a chicken coop in the backyard, so she's considering backyard chickens.  Yeah!  A convert!  So, to anybody else who might be thinking about it, I thought I'd put up some pictures of our current chick setup.

Previously, we had used a dog crate as the brooder.  Since we're using the dog crate for the dog now, I'm used the rubbermaid box that had been storing chick equipment as the new chick brooder.

There are a few things that you need to complete a brooder setup.  The heat lamp I bought at home depot for $7, the infrared light bulb from Tractor Supply for $7, the chick feeder and water bases from Tractor Supply for $2 each (I correct myself, $3 & $3.29), mason jars that I had for the tops of the feeder and waterer, and then pine shavings from Tractor Supply for $6 for the whole bale.

oh, and of course, a thermometer, that I bought at Walmart for $1.  I don't think it works, though.

We've been taking the blue laced red wyandotte chicks out whenever I clean their box.  They and the children have alot of fun!  Look at how much fun this one is having!  If it could talk, it would have been saying, "Please don't let me die!  Please don't let me die!"

But look at how much fun MY chicks are having!

I think this one is a little cockerel.  I'm just not sure, but it acts a little "cocky" and its legs are a little bigger and sturdier.  Not very scientific, I know.

Their red is starting to show through now.  I'm excited to start getting a glimpse of their true coloring.  Seventeen makes such a pretty flock.  I'm sad that I will only be keeping two.  But maybe 17 is just too many for us anyway.  When we started to go inside with the chicks in a clean box, I heard a loud peeping sound and realized we had left one outside!  Luckily we did end up going in with all 17.

Comments

[melva]

I love the Pixie and the Imp holding the chicks. How much fun!! They look as cute as the chicks themselves, all in yellow!! You are a great blogger Ingrid, love you!!!