That's right. The chick is not IN the box. And this is the latest exciting development in The World of Chicks going on in my spare bedroom downstairs.
So, I'll admit it. It's not easy for me, but I have to say it: I've got a favorite chick.
One of my Silver-Laced Wyandottes (you-know-who, pictured above) has taking a special liking to me and it just warms me to my toes. I am completely surprised by her interest in me. The first time I noticed that she and I maybe had something special was when I walked into my chick room -calling out to the girls like I always do- and she ran from the opposite side of the box over to where I was leaning down to look in. And then she just sat there, tilted her head to one side, and looked at me with her one bird eye, while the rest of her sisters were running amok and flapping around the box in a massive poultry panic because some predator (me, apparently) was hovering overhead about to eat them.
My biggest surprise, however, came yesterday. I was sitting on the floor in the chick room with a big towel laid out and taking each chick out individually to let them experience "outside-the-box-world". The Silver-Laced Wyandotte had already had her turn and I had put her back into the box and taken out Spongebob (appropriately named by my 8 year-old nephew) the Buff Orpington and one of my Black Stars. As I'm sitting there with them, I hear this loud fluttering and scraping on the side of the box and, lo and behold, here comes little Miss Wyandotte's face up and over the edge of the box. She even managed to perch, quite solidly, on the edge of the box itself, rather than falling over the other side. I couldn't believe it!
So...when I went to see them this morning, I decided to take my camera with me to see if she'd do it again. Guess what? She did. Twice, in fact. Here's the video of her first "fly-out" right after I sat down:
They're all so dang cute, I can hardly stand it.
It's great when they get to know you and come running. I bet if you keep handling them a lot they will stay friendly. I love to see the photos and hear about them. They are so cute. I originally started my blog last year when I raised two mallard ducks that a customer dropped off. She had found them wandering along the freeway without parents. I kept them in the garage and documented them on the blog. It was fun to watch them grow and let them play in the bathtub. But, boy did they get messy once they got bigger! How is the coop coming?
ReplyDeletePS You need to change your blog name...you ARE the critter farm now! Yah!
ReplyDeleteI agree with NW Nature Nut that handling the chicks will help them to trust you and stay friendly even when they are older. It makes it a lot easier to care for them when they trust you. I did that with mine on the advice of my local feed store owner/friend. They are incredibly cute and have such individual personalities. Yours are coming along fine, but you might need to put some kind of lid on that box to keep them corralled and safe! Yes, how is your coop building coming along? More photos please!
ReplyDeleteOH MY! HOW SWEET!!! You must be so proud farmgirl! Keep up the good work! I can't wait to see these girls outside doing their thing!! They are going to grow so fast!
ReplyDeleteHi Roxy!! I'm thinking of you too!!
How cute! Love the fly-over video.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Farmer Jen, handle them a lot and it will be much easier when they are older -- like yesterday, for example when one of my girls, Pippi, managed to escape the pen. She saw me coming and came right up to me and let me pick her up.
I'm also with Jen on the brooder cover. A weighted down window screen worked great for us. I love listening to the videos, the peeping kills me. Chick fever....
Ali
You're killin' me! Oh how I want to start my chick raising. No coop yet, maybe if I get the chicks it will help inspire my husband to build?
ReplyDeleteThat is really nice of your son to put in time for others. You must be a great mother to instill those kind of morals..
ReplyDeleteBig Sloppy Kisses
Gus and Louie
OK now I'm jealous chicksister. Mine just run from me and if I sit quietly enough they might come out and honor me with their presence.
ReplyDeleteWe had an Americana chicken who acted a lot like that. My dad read that if you have only hens, one chicken will 'appoint' themselves to be the 'rooster'...leader. She used to come running right up to us and all the other chickens would hide. We called her Tessa...she was also the first to perch. Sadly, we only knew her by the way she acted, and as she got older she 'quieted down', and now we don't even know if we have her because we gave some of the Americanas away, and we don't know if we gave her away...she was a fun bird, though! :-)
ReplyDelete~Mellimaus
You are the supreme ChickenMother.
ReplyDeleteWe also had to put a net over the cage so that they would not fly out.
ReplyDeleteWe had them 4 weeks or so in the basement, I tell you, they made a lot of mess, especially dust!!
yes, they are cute.
We really enjoy our eggs now.
They're getting so big so fast! I agree, spend all kinds of time with them. Our were all grown up when we got them. I spent a lot of time getting to know them and hoping they'd trust me. I feel like the "food court" when they see me. They all come running and look up at me waiting for a treat, which I always have. They're a lot of fun to have around. I left a comment for you over at Robin's. I think I figured out what's going on with her Racoon Face.
ReplyDeleteThey are so darn cute! When I lived outside of NYC we had chickens and I loved them so much, and their eggs! ;)
ReplyDeleteOh I love your chicks! I love that I can come here to get my chick fix for the day. And I agree with all of the above - I want to see some pics of the new coop building!
ReplyDeleteAhhhhhhhhhh ~ Young chicky love : )
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the well wishes, Danni. This past week has really been quite crappy. Husband out of town and me down with some kinda super human flu virus.....trying to manage the kids....not fun at all. All the while feeling like I am repeatedly being run over by a Mack truck. Awoke for the first time today out of the last week with no fever...so keep your fingers crossed for me. I am so hopeful that I am on my way to being better.
ReplyDeleteand her Mom said,
ReplyDeleteEvery day I can't wait to mozy over here and read about the babies. It's so exciting to watch them grow and develop and have personalities all their own.
Hi michele: I need to go back and read your earliest blog entries - I would love to read about you raising those mallards. What did you ever do with them?
ReplyDeleteThe coop? Well....it's ok. :-)
Hi farmer jen: yes, I have a screen set off to the side ready to use and, whenever I'm not in the room, I lift up the side and end pieces of the box that are folded down when I'm sitting there. Utmost on my mind is keeping my girls safe!!
The coop? Um...it's coming along... :-) :-)
Thanks Eve - and Roxy thanks you, too. Her nose is a bit bent out of shape these days with all the attention I'm paying to the chicks. Not nearly as much ball-throwing time as there used to be...
Hi Ali - I love that one of your hens is named Pippi...my friend's little girl came over on the weekend and named one of my chicks "Pip-squeak", saying that she'll be "Pippi" for short!
Hi Mim - that's pretty much what I did. I went out and brought my chicks home. Then my husband was like, uh oh, we need to get going on that coop. :-)
Thanks, Gus and Louie - I'm nervous about him going by himself, though!
Goatgirl - this is ONLY because I don't have 50 animals pulling me in different directions like you do (yet anyway!) :-)
Hi Mellimaus/Abby: I had hoped to get an Americauna because I really wanted those greenish eggs, but they only had the Aracauna, who will lay brown like all the others. It's funny the different personalities they have, isn't it?
Hi marigold - WOW - thanks for the compliment. I am honored...especially coming from you! Bag of peanuts is IN THE MAIL! :-)
ReplyDeleteHi gudl - the mess...yes...I'm beginning to really notice it. When they flap around all the dust and these little itty bitty feathers go flying everywhere...it's only going to get worse, I know!
Hi cathy (maternal gardens) - Robin sent me an email yesterday disclosing the full truth about her racoon face...I thought I would die laughing - you are exactly right! I'm insisting that she post pictures. You should, too! :-)
Hi Joanna - I *love* your profile pic - hilarious! Yes, I'm just loving these chicks...it's going to be so cool when they start laying...
Hi Mindi (in-between) - aww, I'm so glad you're enjoying my blog! :-) The coop? Well....maybe I could post some pictures...it's not really moving as fast as I had hoped..
Hi ranch-mommy - yes, I'm obsessed, aren't I? ;-)
Hi frugalmom - so glad to hear that you think you're on the mend. Egad, how in the world are you managing with your husband being gone?? You poor thing. I just posted a new video - maybe that'll keep Grayson entertained for, like, 3 minutes? :-)
Hi emma's mom...And I am happy to be able to read your posts again! It's really good to have you back.
How exciting! I've heard that breed is very friendly.
ReplyDelete