My Growing Chicks
One advantage of being at home is that I get to spend more time with my pets. I love touring the farm and visiting with my horses, peafowl, pigeons, geese, and chickens - they all provide wonderful company.
Yesterday, I stopped to take photos of my growing chicks - 20 peeps that were incubated and hatched in my Winter House Kitchen. They’re now about a month to six-weeks-old and doing excellently - alert, healthy, and very curious.
Enjoy these photos and visit my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48 to see my week-old goslings.
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- If you follow this blog regularly, you may recall these adorable chicks. The peeps hatched in a special incubator I keep in my kitchen.
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- They live on the kitchen counter for the first week and then get moved down to the basement where they have more room. They grow very quickly.
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- After about three weeks, they go down to a brooder in one of the coops – half of the coop is sectioned off just for these babies until they are old enough and big enough to go outdoors and mingle with the others.
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- Look how much they’ve grown.
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- It’s still a bit chilly here in the Northeast, so the brooder is outfitted with heat lamps to keep them warm.
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- The chicks are very eager to explore their surroundings. Chickens have their own personalities – some are more active or more curious than others.
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- These chicks all have clear eyes and are very alert – signs of good health. This pretty female is a Buff Cochin.
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- The chicks are carefully monitored. Dawa, who oversees all the outdoor birds at the farm, checks on these youngsters several times a day and will continue to do so for the next few weeks. They are fed a good chick starter filled with protein for weight gain and muscle development, plus vitamins and minerals to keep them healthy and to build their immune systems.
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- These chicks will stay on their starter food until about eight weeks of age. They are very good eaters.
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- They also enjoy greens. Dawa hangs bunches of fresh greens for them to pick on every day.
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- Chickens are not difficult to keep, but it does take time, commitment and a good understanding of animal husbandry to do it well. I have been raising chickens for many years.
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- These young birds are filled with curiosity and love approaching visitors when they arrive.
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- It’s always important to show all new birds, especially chicks, where their food and water are located, so they know right away where to go.
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- These chicks love playing and interacting with each other as well.
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- This chick is already practicing how to perch on higher levels. Ideally, chickens need a perch because they like to roost off the ground.
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- The chick in the back has found an even higher perch. The chicks are growing fast and already starting to flap their wings fly very short distances.
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- I am so happy with this group of babies – they are all strong good eaters, and will be a great addition to my flock.
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- Here are my two Pomeranian geese rushing to see what is going on – these geese make excellent guardians for my flock of chickens. Naturally territorial, geese fit easily into the guardian role and don’t need any training in how to protect.
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- I’ve raised many different chicken breeds and varieties over the years – they are all so beautiful to observe. I am fascinated by their many colors and feather patterns.
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- Soon the chicks will have access to the outdoors where they can roam freely and explore. It’s always such a joy to see the animals at my farm thriving. I hope you are spending good quality time with your own pets during these days at home. Please stay safe.
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