# They're here! Chicks that is...



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I got the call from the post office that the chicks were there around 11:30. I jumped into the car and took off to get there and have to drive around and around the parking lot to get a space. The village is doing major construction in the municipal parking lot across the street so it was just a mess. then when I got into the building there was a line of about three people. There were three clerks, but one disappeared for lunch I guess, so now only two. One of the customers took forever too, asking the same question over and over. In the meantime I could see the box and I could hear chirping! When I finally got home with them Peeves was more interested in going out in the yard than in the box. Lily was very gentle about sniffing the box. I haven't done introductions yet. I want to wait until BF gets home from work for that.

Anyway they are all fine. They looked very alert when I took the top off the box. One wanted to jump right out! I made up vitamin water and dipped each girl's beak to show them where the water is. As I put each one down she made a bee line for the food. They have all been happily eating gro gel and bits of chick starter that are sticking to it. 

They take the cutest little naps and then go right back to eating.

I will put up some pics. So you can see they are each a bit different in coloring which will be nice for people to be able to tell them apart. My Meyer Meal Maker is the all yellow chick. I am not sure what she is, but she is cute. For those who didn't read this in poodlecrazy's thread about her chicks, the meal maker is an extra bird the hatchery sends that you are supposed to use the eggs from (or meat if you have meat birds) for charity (donate to a food bank or other). The last picture is of nap time. 

The four birds that are my main order are blue amercaunas. The darkest chick will be a very dark colored bird. The lightest will, I think, be what's called a splash and the other two will really be varying degrees of blue.


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## Indiana (Sep 11, 2011)

They're gorgeous!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

They are very pretty. I like how each of them is differently marked. Also they have the cutest little muffs. As adults they will have very obvious muffs. I think it is amazing that they have them as chicks too. I will get some pics later that show it better (need BF to take the pics while I hold the birds).

I plan to weigh them later. I think it will be interesting to see how fast they grow with a little data along with pictures.


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## kayfabulous6 (Nov 19, 2013)

Ooh what pretty little chickies! I've always wanted to raise some on my own. It's going to be fun keeping track of their growth and learning their personalities. I know that they will be very loved and well-cared for in your hands.

Let us know how the introduction with the dogs go! I saw how good poodlecrazy's bunch is with her chickens and it will be interesting to see how your gang gets along  


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## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

So cute!!!!! 


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## YoungZebeee (Jun 29, 2014)

So adorable!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I just went up to check on them a little while ago. They are all zonked out asleep. I didn't want to wake them, so no pictures, but maybe tomorrow if they take deeper sleep naps I can get some. They look funny all sprawled out. They are all in one area, but not touching so I think they have found their temperature comfort zone. They were pretty far away from the lamp so I moved them a little so that they can choose a slightly cooler spot if they want, but they still have room to get to someplace warmer during the night. I have a feeling I will be up checking on them a few times just to be sure.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

I finally got on here to check in. Today has been crazy busy. They are so darling! You definitely have two blue splashes (one that will be very light), possibly a black and blue splash, and a nice blue one. I'll have to get a better look at your Meyer Meal Maker to be able to tell what it is. I still am not sure what mine is, lol. They are just so cute with their little muffs and beards, so fluffy and plump . Makes me miss my little one that died . They really are cute when they sleep, sometimes they sleep in such weird positions I worry they are dead, lol. In a week or two you can add a small little piece of wood to the brooder and they will perch when they sleep. 

These aren't Blue Amercaunas they are Blue Andalusians but it will give you an idea of the Blue and the Splash. (FYI never get Andalusians they have they nastiest personalities and are super flighty) 

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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Oops pics didn't work here they are 




















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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

AWWWWWW! I love baby birdies!!!! They sound like they are getting off to good start! It'll be fun to watch them grow!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

So I didn't get much sleep last night. I kept going in to check on the babies. They did fine. So far Peeves doesn't seem to care that they are here. I don't want him to bark at them and scare them right now so I think we may wait until the weekend to let him see them. Lily has a little curiosity and spent a little time peering in at them in the brooder late yesterday. I picked one up and let Lily look at her. As soon as she looked like she was thinking about giving the little one the poodle snoot we ended that encounter.

Everybody is fine this morning!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

My mom came over this afternoon with Wolfie to see the chicks. We took some pictures. I think there is one of each little girlie. There is also one that shows the wings are already starting to feather out. There is also one of Lily and Wolfie checking out a chickie and of Lily looking in on her tiny sisters. So far Lily has been nice with them. We haven't introduced Peeves yet.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Awww they are so cute! Is that first one your Meyer Meal Maker? If so what kind of comb does she have? The others are so pretty I can't wait to see what they look like as they mature. Lily and Wolfie look like they are doing so well with them. With Peeves I would just go very slow when introducing them to him, and always keeping a barrier between them. Hopefully he will eventually get used to them. 


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

No the first one is the lightest of the four amercaunas. I don't think I got the MMM up there. I will try to get a better pic of her tomorrow and maybe you can take a guess at what she is.

Lily has been very good with them. My grooming stuff is in the same room the chicks are in so she spent a lot of time in their proximity today. She did get a little worked up watching them and barked once. They sure hunkered down in a hurry. Wolfie was pretty good all around. We will take Peeves up with a collar and leash on when we are both home Friday to let him see what the excitement there is. I am worried that he will bark like crazy, but we will take it slow.


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## Indiana (Sep 11, 2011)

So sweet! on the weekend I told my mom and dad about my chicken project and they were enthused of course; I said, I remember sharing my bedroom with chicks when I was growing up and they happily agreed, yes! It was a warmest room so we started our chicks there! lol My mom is like the chicken whisperer.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

So I think they look a little bigger today, but my scale is not so accurate. It says they are all about the same or lighter than yesterday. I think I will have to pilfer BF's digital scale to get accurate weights.

They are funny to watch. They eat, drink, run around then all of a sudden they just fall asleep standing in place and then they flop over. I am starting to see differences in personality too. The darkest one seems to be the boldest. The blue and the darker of the splashes are willing to follow the dark one and the other two seem to want to hang back more.

BF took Peeves in to see them this morning. He said they paid no attention to Peeves but that Peeves was a little startled by them running about. Peeves is such a funny dog. He is actually very soft.

Here are a couple of pictures from today. The light bird is my meal maker. The color is off because of the red light from the lamp but she is actually a pretty slightly orange color across the back. I haven't a clue in the world what she will turn out to be!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

So the little girlies are definitely getting little personalities now. The two darker ones are very curious. They are always looking up now when I go in to check on them. The meal make seems to think she is ready to fly, does lots of running and flapping. Today I noticed all of them starting to do more scratching like they are foraging. I've been tossing small amounts of treats onto the bedding for them and they seem all to really get a charge out of looking for things. The only problem with the foraging is that today they really dumped a lot of bedding into the water. I really will have to find something to raise it up on.

Peeves got to see them a couple of times today. He was very good, no barking or anything. He seems to scare them more than Lily. When he came up with me late in the afternoon they all made themselves as flat as possible and froze. They were absolutely silent too. They seem a little less concerned about Lily.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Awww they are growing up so fast aren't they! I'm still trying to figure out wait you MMM is. Do you know what type of comb she has? Or can you take a picture of it? I am think she is a heavy breed maybe Orpington. Is she all yellow or more of a buff color? But now that you say she is trying to fly I'm wondering if she is a more flighty type breed. It sounds like Peeves is doing very well. I think you are doing the exact right thing by slowly introducing him. 


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I will try to take a better picture of the MMM. She is all yellow down with a touch of a peachy color on her back. Her wing feathers look to have just a touch of color in them. She weighs more than all the others. I am very proud of Lily and Peeves (especially). They are being very polite.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I just looked up pics of buff orpington chicks and I think you may be right about that guess on the MMM bird. She will be pretty if that is what she is.


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Okay you really need to rename this thread "52 weeks of chickies!"...

It's fascinating! They're sooooo cute!! How long until they can go outside??


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I think I should be able to let them go outside in the "play pen" in about two and a half weeks as long as it is nice and sunny. They won't be in the coop until probably around September 10th to 15th. They need to be feathered out, but their wing feathers are growing very fast. They all run around and flap, not that they could possibly take off. The heaviest one weighed just over 60 grams this afternoon.


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