| With Victoria and our roosters gone, we're now down to 3 hens - 2 Buff Orpingtons who lay eggs and 1 Ameraucana who will start any day now. The plan was for Victoria to raise her chicks so we wouldn't have to have them indoors under a light. Without Victoria, the eggs are in an incubator and apparently four or five are still doing well even after the power outage... but we decided to get some different chicks, who are old enough to live outside. So, meet our new girls (or boys...):
Frizzie, the Silkie Frizzle mix (a Sizzle?)
Rosie, our Rhode Island Red, and our Black Australorp, who needs a name.
First attempt to get our Barred Rock, Spot, in a picture, with Frizzie blocking the way.
Second attempt to take a picture of Spot, with Frizzie still slightly in the way.
If you can't tell, the kids named some of the chicks. Patrick and I gave Spot her name (both kids replied, "You should call her Stripe!") Now the Black Australorp needs a name.
The chicks are unsexed and we probably cannot keep all four even if they are all girls, since that would just be a lot of full grown chickens in too small a space. We've warned the kids that any mean roosters are going to be dinner. If we end up with nice roosters, I will gladly try to find them homes where they won't be eaten.
So far, the babies are terrified of us. They spent last night in a separate part of the coop from the big girls. Today, the babies are in the main part of the coop and the big girls are outside. I've been giving both groups lots of treats, trying to teach the babies that I'm the Food Lady, and trying to make the big ones learn to feel comfortable with looking at the babies and not wanting to kill them. Daisy the Ameraucana is VERY unhappy about the babies. She's spent the day walking around the coop making unhappy noises. I find it funny. |
