Chicks enjoying the outdoors,

my March 2010 batch of 5 chicks is now 5 and 6 weeks old, the California Whites are the older ones. We are having typical weather for this time of the year, the temps still drop to 34 to 38 degrees at night and then during the day with have 80s, not sure if it hit 90 today, the chickens sure act like they are hot. I have been doing test runs this weekend with the misters and filling up the wading pools which my older hens took advantage of to cool down. I have put fans in the chicken houses for better ventilation when the hens are in the nesting boxes.
This week I ordered some "Chillows" those are cooling mats, the same kind they sell for dogs, only the ones I ordered are actually for people, but I figured they will fit in the nest boxes and hopefully will prevent another tragedy like last summer when I lost my beloved Lucy who I had last seen in a nestbox, then I found her collapsed in the wading pool. The heat is really hard on the chickens.



The California White chicks are in the foreground, the mystery chick Barbie in the back.

One of my little Buckeye pullets, they have such pretty orange legs.

Both of my little Buckeye pullets

Being outside is a big adventure, they are in a pen that is secured with chicken wire so the older hens cannot hurt the little ones, but the older hens can walk around the chick pen, so by the time the chicks are a few months old they are all used to each other and it is fairly easy to integrate the new ones with the old ones.

This is Barbie, the mystery chick, I still think she looks like a Delaware, but she has green legs, so not sure about it. Unfortunately she is not a very gentle chickie, when I come near her with my hands she pecks at me and at times she will not only peck but hold on to my skin and pinch pretty hard.

showing off her wing

One of my Barred Rock hens checking out a little pullet

Still waiting for the California White pullets to get some black marks

The Buckeyes have a much different body shape than the California Whites

Barbie showing off her wing

Barbie on the right, her legs are green, but not slate green, hers is more a yellowish green

Barbie on the right

When I open the gate for the chickens to come out and roam the property they all come running as fast as they can

Running fast, two of my Barred Rock hens

2 of my Black Jersey Giants in the weeds

Buffy enjoying her outing, she is the hen who had hurt a leg and for a long time she couldn't run well, she would do a flying hop, but now she can run again and isn't limping

One of my Ameraucanas

My Ameraucanas are 2 years old now and went through their first molt this winter, they all have beautiful feathers and I get several green eggs every day.

And here is Miss Daisy, she didn't molt yet and she still has some rooster damage, I have rehomed Sir Oliver as his constant attacks really took away from enjoying my chickens, he also started to cause damage to the hen's feathers, like here on Daisy she has lost a lot of feathers on her neck and head and most of the feathers on her back are broken off. Otherwise she is a very pretty little hen laying a small green egg almost every day. My guess is that she is mixed with a game chicken, I really like her, she is very smart and agile.

4 and 5 weeks old,





3 chicks ready to take a nap

My two California Whites, their black spots have disappeared, I sure hope they will get black spots as they mature

One of my Buckeyes, at 4 weeks, all the white fluff on the chest is gone

My guess is that the darker brown feathers are more the permanent color they will be when they grow up

Looking at the world beyond their little play yard. Actually last weekend I had them outside on 2 afternoons, they had a really good time pecking at the weeds, scratching in the dirt and learning how to take a dust bath.

Leg color comparison, the chick on the right is he one I thought was a Delaware, but look how green those legs are, pretty big too.

these two girls are sweet, they are Bruna and Foxy

The brown feathers on the head are taking over

Here is this year's spring chickie flock. I am amazed at how hardy they already are, they sit in the general area of where the heat lamps are, but much farther away than I would think at that age, plus they are not all the same age but there doesn't seem to be a difference in their temperature needs anymore.

this is a rather greedy group of chicks, even before I gave them any treats they all came running when I went out to see them, now that I give them the occasional treats like hard boiled eggs or some oatmeal they act like the wild hordes to come and get whatever I bring them. Chickens are really great pets, so entertaining and quite social

they are all looking "you got something for us?"

One week ago, chicks are 3 and 4 weeks old,







one of my Buckeye chicks, can't tell anymore who is who at this time, I hope they will be distinguishable when they get older, for now the only difference is that Bruna is very tame and wants attention when I come to see them

to the left a California White, on the right Barbie, I thought she was a Delaware, but her legs are turning green, so I will have to see what she turns out to be

I really like these little Buckeye chicks, even at this early age they are pretty calm and not as flighty as the California Whites

the chick on the left is 4 weeks old, the brown is 3 weeks, at this age they aren't pecking much at each other yet, they just care about eating and sleeping

brown feathers starting to come in on the head

Barbie, she is very inquisitive but also very calm and laid back, likes to peck at my hands though but more in a curious manner, she's got big legs, so I am hoping she is not a he.

sitting on to of the water container

The California Whites are father flighty, I do like their body shape, very slender

The two Buckeye chicks

The two California White girls

besides the age difference of one week, the chick on the left is a much more slender built than Barbie to her right, on the left is the California White chick

onle a small stripe of fuzz left on the chest

I am hoping that walking mostly on hay will give the chicks a healthier environment for their feet to develop, plus it keeps them busy scratching around

so what's the mystery chick Barbie?