Giant Chickens!!!

It's been two weeks since I last posted. You wouldn't believe how fast they grow!!! Their bodies are all covered in pretty little feathers except for their heads which are still fuzzy. Now they can jump out of their bucket and walk around the shower. They love to roost on the rim and would sit up there all day if they didn't need to eat or drink.

OMG they poop soooo much!!! Yesterday I had to put on cleaning gloves, get on my hand and knees and scrub down the whole bathroom. Meanwhile the chicks were having a ball throwing food all over the guest room which I then also had to clean up but I still love them.

The coop is under way!!! Last weekend we assembled most of the pieces for the coop and run. Yesterday we painted the house pieces a nice dark grayish blue color. Today we are working on putting up the house.

Here are some pictures from this weekend, last weekend, and two weekends ago.


Two weekends ago:

Tonks

Belatrix

Mrs. Norris

Luna

Mrs. Noris

Cleo and Luna

Last weekend:

Tonks on Ezra

Belatrix and Cleo's friend Leslie

Lazy Luna

This weekend:

The Girls in a temporary cage while their bathroom is being cleaned

Luna

The coop (pieces) and its constructors

A more completed coop (font)

A more completed coop (eggdoors, back)

Love,
Cleo and Ezra
(from Cleo's point of view)
 

Chicks in da House!

The chicks came!!! They arrived on April 20, 2010 in a cardboard box. They flew on a plane all the way from Connecticut. We got the box (after chasing down the mailman), opened it with scissors, and there they were! Four little healthy balls of fluff. We lifted them up with care and gently put them in the enclosure (also called a brooder) we made for them. It is a metal bucket (the kind you put drinks in at a party) with wood shavings on the bottom and something for them to eat and drink out of. The set-up is in the downstairs bathroom, inside the shower.  


The first thing we did was teach them how to drink. We dunked their little beaks in the water (like the book said to do) and they got the hang of it pretty fast. They taught themselves how to eat, smart chicks. For the first week we weren't sure of names. We changed them about twice a day at least though still within the Harry Potter category. A few days ago we finally decided: the Barred Rock is Belatrix, the Americauna is Tonks, the Speckled Sussex is Mrs. Norris, and the Australorp is Luna. They have grown to be about three times the size of when we first got them. They now have feathers on their wings and tails. 


Here are some pictures from last week.

Lap full of chicks

Belatrix

Tonks

Mrs. Norris

Luna

Chicken brooder.  It's red because of the heat lamp, which keeps them warm, about 90F.

Cleo and her baby

Love, Cleo & Ezra