Watching my chickens grow and change from day to day is delightful. Buttercup is the boldest and most fearless of the five. When I open the door, she often jumps right into my hand to see if there is a treat. She was the first to use the perch and she often gazes out of the wire door in fascination, ready to explore this big world. Yesterday they appeared to be doing chicken gymnastics as they jumped from the perch to the floor, to the top of the bed area, and back to the floor.
It is recommended to use a heat lamp in the brooder for the first weeks, until the chickens’ feathers have grown in, raising it slightly each day to slowly reduce the temperature. However, heat lamps are a fire hazard, to which many will attest. If the lamp is not securely fastened and falls into the litter, it can quickly catch fire. I opted for a heat pad in lieu of the lamp. I purchased a wire basket at the thrift store and cut out one side, so that it fit upside down over the heat pad and they would have means to go in and out. I covered the remaining three sides with a baby blanket (purchased for 25 cents, also at the thrift store). This is where they sleep at night – looking like a little pile of fluff. Yesterday, three of them decided to take a nap on top of the basket, rather than inside of it.
As their feathers grow in, their unique markings are becoming more evident. I am using colored leg bands to tell them apart, but I will soon be able to know them simply by their size and markings. Iris is the smallest and easily recognizable because she is darker, with a reddish brown head. She and Ivy, who is a darker color and the second smallest, often hang out together. Marigold is the lightest and brightest of the bunch. At this time it is a tossup between Violet and Buttercup, as to which is the largest. I have kept their brooder (an extra-large dog kennel that I had from caring for swans) in the dining room. Today it is finally warm enough, so I have slid it out onto the porch and they can see the wild birds at the feeders and hear the sounds and smell the smells of the outdoors. I will bring the brooder back in at night for another week; and then they can spend the next several weeks on the porch until they are big enough to go into their coop. I love to simply sit and watch them as they look out into the big wide world of which they will soon be a part. They remind me every day, of the preciousness of life.
