My New Babies!

My New Babies Are Here!

Tom and I have been talking about getting chickens for about a year. While we were doing our monthly shopping the other day we happened to drive by a farm store and noticed their sign announcing "Spring Chicks and Bunnies have arrived". I talked Tom into stopping 'Just to see what they have - not to buy anything.' And we went home with six little Rhode Island Red Poulets.
Since we already had the set up from our pheasant expedition last year, we were ready for these little ladies. (We're hoping they're all ladies - supposedly 98% guarranteed to be hens!). They've been a lot of fun to watch grow. They are very fond of Keaton - because he plays with them and feeds them. They aren't sure what to think of Winston. Tom and I have somewhat heated discussions over what they need in the way of heat, food, bedding, housing... we don't quite have the same vision of what it is to be a chicken farmer! But we both manage to work it out in the end and the chickens seem happy.
Since I took these pictures last week, the chicks have doubled in size, and have lost a lot more of their fluff. They are getting more of their red feathers in. Right now they look like red-feathered bald eagles (dark feathers, light fluffy furry heads). Once they are grown, they should be great laying hens, producing about one egg apiece a day. I'll have to figure out what to do with a half a dozen eggs every day! They are just plain cute and a lot of fun to watch - I could just watch them all day long!