Chickie Babies

Our new venture, an idea that we've been tossing around for a few months now, but something that both David and I have wanted deep down, forever, has finally begun.  We are the proud owners of these two little balls of fluff, hatched just yesterday.....

The black and white one is an Ancona and will grow up eventually to become something a bit like this....

And the little red one, is a Rhode Island Red, and will one day blossom into this...

At the moment, it's hard to imagine, since they are both so cute, (fluffly, as Poppy says) and chirpy that they will become such intimidating looking creatures, but we know it's true, since we saw the Mamas who laid our little beauties - and they were exactly as above!
I had wanted a few of the more normal, run of the mill ISA Browns, instead of the pure breeds that we ended up with - but they were all out of those up at Herritage Hatching & Hens, so we went with the most prolific egg layers and picked just one of each breed.  Despite being different breeds, they do seem to quite like eachother and apart from a few heating teething problems that we've had today, all is going well.  They are currently under a 50w plus a 30w lamp, after getting very stressed when we provided the 100w lamp that is suggested by professionals.  For some reason, our little chickie babes just don't like the higher wattage, and spent the entire time under it, trying to get away from it into the corners of their box.  They are much happier now and have been settling into the crazy Wood family, very nicely!

This red one is Libbys and Davids (jointly owned) and as yet, has no name!

This little funny one is Poppy and Joeys chick and they have named her Sunshine (Sunny for short), we have no idea why - and up until this evening, she was called Ashley - so we'll see if this name sticks!

And here they are, snuggled up close together, as we often find them! Little chirps now and then, as they try the first tastes of their grain and peck at their water feeder.

Early next week we (as soon as they have hatched), we pick up our two Isa Browns to complete our new chick family, and wait until they turn into this.....

Now, that's my kind of Chicken!!!! :)  I already have a name picked out for one of them...but you'll have to wait and see! :)

The coop should arrive next week, and I'm sure there will be colourful language, as David takes a week to put it together, but its very pretty and looks as though it was designed to match the architecture of the house.  Hopefully, fingers crossed - we should have fresh eggs by Christmas!  Yippeee, anyone for an omelette?

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