Our babies are growing up...

Golden Wyandotte, Dominique, Black Jersey Giant

Hard to believe that this is the same group, 6 weeks later!  It's easy to tell which is which now.

They've graduated from the cardboard box to Sunny's crate and now to the small outside coop.  The introduction to the existing flock has been pretty painless, so I think we'll try them overnight in the big coop tonight.  We still keep a close eye on them when they're out of the coop - fast as they are, a hawk would certainly be able to catch and kill them with little trouble.

If these were commercial chickens they'd be ready to start laying.  As it is, it will be another 4-5 months before we see our first egg.  No problem; the others are still going strong.

The whole flock

Newest members of the egg production team

If there's anything I like better than getting a new batch of chicks, I surely don't know what it is.  These little babies are about a week old.  We have a Black Jersey Giant, a Golden-Laced Wyandotte, and a Dominique (I think they're in that order in the picture).  No names yet; those will come in time.

They'll stay inside their cardboard box in the studio for the next couple of weeks or so until they're big enough, and it's warm enough, for them to go outside, at least during the day.  They can go outside permanently at around 5 or 6 weeks.

I'm very happy to have another Dominique and Black Jersey Giant - they are such sweet, gentle chickens.  I don't know the Golden-Laced Wyandotte although our Houdini is a Silver-Laced Wyandotte.  She's a bit skittish so we'll see if this one has a similar personality.