.........Last Updated: 24 April 2013..........

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Remmick's Chickens continued

One week makes a difference in the unity of these baby chicks.

Notes:

10 May 2008

I noticed that the largest chick, Lucey Goosey, is the dominate chick.  I haven't noticed that she has not been pecking at the smaller ones, which is good, instead herds the smaller ones into the corner of the box and protects them and then allows them to break free when all danger passes.

Are the smaller ones feeding with the larger chicks?  They seem to be but the smaller ones don't seem to be growing quite as fast.  So,  I placed a new feeder (red) into the box and placed it apart from the tin and flat dish feeder and closer to where the group goes when "danger"  [humans] approach.

I'll report as days pass.

13 May 2008

I took away the medal feeder and replaced it with another feeder.  With the two new feeders, the smaller chicks are eating better.

Lucy Goosey and Big Foot are flying up and grasping the edge of the box and looking around.  It is amazing to see how fast these two are growing and matureing as compared to the other chicks.

20 May 2008

I cleaned the box where the chicks have been kept inside the coop and each chick was able to fly over the edge and they huddled in the far corner chirping away.

All but one, little Speedy, have been seen perched on the edge.

The food which has been added to their diet is bread, lettuce, melon, strawberries and grapes plus the Hen Scratch.  They continue to prefer the chick formula first and then they go after the other food.

I have opened the coup door and will let them take their time to venture out into the world beyond.

Thus far,  I've seen Lucy Goosey and Big Foot venture out on the small porch area but not to the ground which is surrounded by a small pen which will soon have a door which will take them to a larger area when they are larger.

We do have predatory animals such as red tail hawk, falcons, raccoons, foxes, coyotes and possums who would happily have a chick for lunch.  Because of these animals,  I close up the coupe each night.

Since the temperature is still dropping down below 60 degrees,  I continue to turn on the 200 wyatt bulb with the red glow at night to keep the little ones warm.

I don't usually open the coup up until around nine thirty or ten in the morning when the day is starting to warm.

We had a couple of real hot days, around 100-90 degrees and they drank a lot of water, so,  I made sure the water containers were constantly cleaned from debris which is thrown on the tray around the water bottle when the chicks scratches and kick it up and into the tray.   Otherwise,  I check their water three times a day.

I use plenty of fresh sawdust on the coop floor to make it easier to clean.   The floor is solid  because we need to keep the predatory animals from getting into the coup.

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Ten chicks - 20 May 2008

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