New Pets

[DaveA]

....... Or otherwise known as how to throw a classroom into total chaos. ::. Just picked them up from post office. They're hopping around, eating / drinking, and cheeping happily. I think nap time will be a bit challenging. Going to rearrange cots so they all have a good view. Otherwise there might be a riot.

[DaveA]

Mama hen (aka my daughter) talking to her babies.

[Denali]

I wish I could do something like this!! 😍 I bed the kids are so excited!

[DaveA]

Thought I'd give an update. All 7 survived the first 2 weeks and are growing quite well. Have quadrupled in size and are quite active. DD has only let them escape once- chasing 7 birds around the living room is an experience. DCKs love getting to hold them and watching them play. They'll spend another week inside then spend 3 weeks in the sunroom before going in the pen with ducks. Even DW has fell in love with one (2nd from right in pic) & broke one of my cardinal rules: naming them before they go outside. One DCM is ready to kill me because DCD (transplanted farm kid like me) wants to raise a few next spring in their backyard. ::


ETA: we have 3 different colors Polish, 2 Sultans, 1 Welsummer, and 1 Salmon Favorolle,

[debbiedoeszip]

Thought I'd give an update. All 7 survived the first 2 weeks and are growing quite well. Have quadrupled in size and are quite active. DD has only let them escape once- chasing 7 birds around the living room is an experience. DCKs love getting to hold them and watching them play. They'll spend another week inside then spend 3 weeks in the sunroom before going in the pen with ducks. Even DW has fell in love with one (2nd from right in pic) & broke one of my cardinal rules: naming them before they go outside. One DCM is ready to kill me because DCD (transplanted farm kid like me) wants to raise a few next spring in their backyard. ::
[ATTACH]3858[/ATTACH]

ETA: we have 3 different colors Polish, 2 Sultans, 1 Welsummer, and 1 Salmon Favorolle,

You are sooo lucky! I would love to have a few chickens (and maybe a bee hive) but our municipal by-laws don't allow. Good luck with them and keep posting pics (love 'em).

[Controlled Chaos]

You are sooo lucky! I would love to have a few chickens (and maybe a bee hive) but our municipal by-laws don't allow. Good luck with them and keep posting pics (love 'em).

We are the only city in the valley not allowed to have chickens! I am 2 blocks on the wrong side of the border DH wants to run for city council just to get chickens And its so silly, there are 2 farms in walking distance that are grandfathered in and have cows, chickens, sheep and goats!

[DaveA]

You are sooo lucky! I would love to have a few chickens (and maybe a bee hive) but our municipal by-laws don't allow. Good luck with them and keep posting pics (love 'em).

We are the only city in the valley not allowed to have chickens! I am 2 blocks on the wrong side of the border DH wants to run for city council just to get chickens And its so silly, there are 2 farms in walking distance that are grandfathered in and have cows, chickens, sheep and goats!

We technically aren't supposed to have them, but the town basically has said as long as the neighbors don't care OK. I tried to get the rules changed years ago but it didn't happen. Since then the 2 biggest opponents aren't on the board anymore. Several people have chickens, ducks, or both. Some keep them out of sight while others have them right out in the open. Supposedly someone has a couple fainting goats, but I've never seen them.

[daycarediva]

Dave! I've been BEGGING my husband to let me get some chicks. Our town allows up to 5 on our parcel of land. Sooo cool!

[Blackcat31]

Wow they got big so fast!

Yep, if I named them I could never eat them.

We've talked about getting chickens but I am having a hard enough time with my domesticated indoor pets lately..

[Second Home]

I love my chickens as do the dck. But unfortunately the regs won't let the dck do anything but look at them . No touching even as peeps.

I have 2 brahma ( buff and dark) , 2 easter eggers ( that lay a light pinkish and blue/green eggs) , a R.I. red ( since we are originally from R.I. ) and 2 speckles sussex.

[DaveA]

Wow they got big so fast!

Yep, if I named them I could never eat them.

We've talked about getting chickens but I am having a hard enough time with my domesticated indoor pets lately..

Oh Lord- if I tried to eat these DD would take me OUT!!!!! We were at the zoo and DD told the lately that runs the "farm" portion "I have pretty Chickens. Pretty chickens we keep as pets. We eat ugly chickens!" Actually kind of true- most true laying or meat breeds (especially cross breeds) are just kind of odd. I've thought about turning a space behind my shop into an area for meat chickens and turkeys. I'd just have make sure wife or daughter NEVER went back there or I'd have a bunch of ugly a@@ pet birds.

I don't name them before they go out because sometimes chicks just die. These aren't bantams, so it's less likely. Growing up breeding stock was allowed to be named but not sale/ butchering animals. There was a ram that followed Dad around like a puppy but would try to run over anyone else. Flattened me a couple of times. Still hate sheep because of that @%*ing thing.

If you really want to get them grab Barnyard in the Backyard & Reinventing the Chicken Coop. Both are great reads.

[Controlled Chaos]

We technically aren't supposed to have them, but the town basically has said as long as the neighbors don't care OK. I tried to get the rules changed years ago but it didn't happen. Since then the 2 biggest opponents aren't on the board anymore. Several people have chickens, ducks, or both. Some keep them out of sight while others have them right out in the open. Supposedly someone has a couple fainting goats, but I've never seen them.

I was afraid the health dep would write me up or site me when they inspect for licensing... You've never had a problem?

[DaveA]

I love my chickens as do the dck. But unfortunately the regs won't let the dck do anything but look at them . No touching even as peeps.

I have 2 brahma ( buff and dark) , 2 easter eggers ( that lay a light pinkish and blue/green eggs) , a R.I. red ( since we are originally from R.I. ) and 2 speckles sussex.

Officially it's the same with us. If I get a health certificate they can handle them, but our regular vet doesn't look at birds and the local farm vet just laughed & hung up.

Love Easter eggers- My Pet Chicken was out for the weeks the Polish were available and DD had her heart set on those. That's why I got the Favorolle. It's one one the EE's parent breeds. My Grandma's neighbor had a bunch of Buff Brahmas. Fattest chickens I ever saw. She baked them corn muffins that her husband wasn't allowed to touch.

[DaveA]

I was afraid the health dep would write me up or site me when they inspect for licensing... You've never had a problem?

No problem ever. Each rep is different but most think it's cool. Technically it's "separated but no contact" but it was understood they "escaped" the pen periodically while DCKs were outside. As for while they're chicks they have to separated/ handled with supervision anyway because they get hurt so easy.

[DaveA]

Well they moved into the "Halfway House"- the sunroom. 3 weeks out there then transition into the pen, which takes a week. They're feathering out, showing their colors, the Polish and Sultans are getting their top knots, and the Welsummer is starting to show her hen comb. DD has only tried to smuggle them back inside into her room twice. They're a bit skittish so I'm not getting good shots, but to judge the growth, the waterer is a 1 gallon size, so about the same size as a milk jug.
Thanks