For spring break we traveled to Fort Collins to visit Grandma and to get chicks. Fort Colins had more places that carried the breeds we wanted than in the Springs. Chicks cost about two bucks a piece. Cheap poultry, eh? After weeks of reading about chickens and talking about the kids were more than a little excited to be finally picking out their chicks. We each chose one, plus two extras, making for a flock of six, which will be pets and hopefully egg layers. Our first true endeavor in urban farming, I must admit I have been a little apprehensive, but so far things have gone smoothly.
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| getting the chicks... think that face is something like," why are you taking my picture?" |
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| it was love at first sight for Salome |
Let me introduce the six, one of which is for a neighborhood friend, that will board at our house. There are two Buff Orpingtons (Miranda and Caroline), two Rhode Island reds (Lucy and Lacy), one Moran (Peckahontas) and one Americauna (Blackie).
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| tiny chicks fall asleep in warm hands (this is Lacy) |
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| Ephraim has been pretty enamored too. This is him and his chicken, Caroline. |
Ephraim is the chicken expert around here, he read a couple guidebooks to raising chickens from the library before we got them and has retained the information amazingly. So if I have a question about what they need, or what that breed is known for, I ask him.
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| walking the fountain in Old Town, FC |
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| At a park in Big Thompson, Salome is annoyed because aren't with the chicks, which she would prefer to be with 24-7. |
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| At Estes Park, to get those yummy freshly baked waffle cones and ice cream. |
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| and of course there were elk to see |
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| Salome and Lucy. BFFs. |
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| Kuriyo, "cuddling" with Lucy, or at least she thinks so, he is really just tolerating her. |
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| The coop, which is currently liveable and predator proof, but not aesthetically finished. |
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| Master coop builder and architect. |
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Nate, our fellow chicken owner, he is in charge of Miranda, the Buff Orpington.
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| The flock in their current state, already so big, not quite full grown, but fully feathered. | | | |
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The chicks are two months old and have grown so fast, I wish I had taken more pictures. They went through an awkward stage of fluff to feathers that was pretty funny looking. The kids continue to be pretty excited about them. As soon as Sally gets home from school she runs to get Lucy and check on her. An invasion of Miller moths has kept the kids busy and the chicks well fed. The kids catch them and feed them to the chicks who are pretty funny to watch as they gobble them up. Sorry moths. They are said to lay eggs within 6 months, so we look forward to fresh eggs in September. Omelet date, anyone?
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