Chickie Love

How many chicks have come and gone through this farm? Hundreds, but I can't stop being fascinated with them.

I love when they arrive. They are nothing but tiny bunches of fluff; so soft, so adorable. I take each one out of their shipping box, give them a drink of water, and then sit and watch them awhile. They know just what to do. They scratch at the ground. They find the feeders and the heat of the warming lamps.

They grow and change quickly. After a couple of weeks, they have lost some of their fluff. Wing feathers and tail feathers are there instead, but the chicks are still cute. They are still curious, and I still love to watch them.

Yesterday, we moved some 2 week old chicks outside to one of the chicken tractors. I watched for a little while. At first they were a little confused. "What is this place with the strange green floor?" It didn't take them long to figure out that floor contain delicious things like clover, grass, and bugs. Soon they were exploring. One would find a particular treat and start running around while the others chased trying to steal the treat. They discovered the dried grass in the fencing that got stuck after Kellen last mowed, and in typical broiler fashion, they also discovered quickly where the feed was located.

Later that evening, the warming lamps came on and they all congregated near them in the center of the pen. Those lamps also attracted the bugs and soon chicks were jumping and grabbing moths, mosquitoes, and other bugs. Then they'd try to get comfortable under the lights. Just when they found the best place, some other chick would come along and push them aside, or they'd fall off the roost. It really was quite comical, and Tim and I sat there for over an hour watching them. 

In a couple of weeks and they will no longer be so cute and fun to watch. I guess that is a good thing since most of these are broilers. But in a couple of weeks there will also be a new batch of chickies to watch and enjoy. I can't wait.