I brought home 6 new chicks yesterday! Photos!!!

[MontanaMama]

I have four adult hens that are four years old...they're slowing down in terms of egg laying so it was time to pull the pin on an additional flock.

Meet Peep Team 2023! This is so much fun.

Scarlett:


Polly


Kitty:


Nugget:


Roxanne:


Fig:

[jls4561]

1. As I clicked on this post, I thought..

Please, please, let there be pictures!

And there were indeed pictures of adorable little baby chicks!

Thank you!

[wryter2000]

2. So cute

I’m jealous

[niyad]

3. Squeeeeeeee. They are so precious.

[getagrip_already]

4. When I go to tractor supply, I always dawdle at the chick cages....

They are like little chirping kittens. Now they are golden geese.

[cilla4progress]

5. I've never gotten chicks

this early?

[MontanaMama]

7. Our Murdoch's farm and ranch store

got their first bunch yesterday and I was there when they opened and got these 6. I went back this morning because they were to get a large shipment of Buff Orpingtons and Blue Laced Wyandottes...both of which I really wanted but they sold 250 chicks in 15 minutes!! I wasn't able to get any more. I may try again tomorrow.

I typically get chicks in mid-February and keep them in the house until it's warm enough for them to spend time outside in a secure enclosure where they are safe from the older chickens and predators. This bunch will sleep inside until May or until they're fully fledged. I don't know another way to do it so that they are full grown and laying by fall.

[cilla4progress]

10. Cool system you have!

And very accommodating to your chicks!

I bet your son enjoys them.

❤️🙂

[MontanaMama]

11. He loves them...but

not as much as Maybee does. She runs in the house and goes to check the babies. I believe she thinks they belong to her.

[cilla4progress]

13. How adorable!

My border collie was very protective of our flock!

[Freddie]

6. Adorable!

Different breeds? (I know nothing about chickens).

[MontanaMama]

8. Yes!

This bunch consists of a Red Star, a Black Star, a Brown Leghorn and 3 varieties of Ameraucana's which will lay blue/green eggs!

[livetohike]

9. So adorable! Can't wait to see more pics as they

grow. Thanks for bringing a smile today .

[ShazzieB]

12. Same here, on future pics.

I can't wait to see what these girls grow up to look like!

[hauckeye]

14. We had a black chick as a pet years ago

The other chickens on the farm rejected it and mom brought it inside in a box. It used to hop in my lap when I was reading a book. I was about 8 maybe.

[MontanaMama]

15. Awwwww. I love that story.

I like to several breeds in my flock...a chicken melting pot if you will. No meanies allowed!

[Rebl2]

16. My husband

retired from the main post office in area where we live, and early on in his career he worked in an area where he would hear the baby chicks that were being shipped. I had no idea they shipped them through the post office back then. Don’t know if it’s still done that way.

[MontanaMama]

17. As far as I know, they are shipped via USPS.

I actually don't like to think about it...I know some babies don't make it. The six I brought home arrived early yesterday morning at the store and then a couple hours later, they made the trip to my house!! What a day these little ones had.

[Rebl2]

19. Same here

Don’t like the fact they are shipped that way either. I always figured they were bought locally from people who raise chickens.

[TNNurse]

25. They are still shipped through the USPS.

I picked up some for a friend a couple of years ago.

When I was a child, my grandfather was a postmaster in his little town. He would let me know when there were chicks so I could see them.

I check them out at the Co-op and Tractor Supply as well.

[Autumn]

30. Yes it's still done. I'm ordering some silkies in March and they will be mailed to me.

My mail lady will bring them right to my door.

[Rebl2]

32. Silkies

are so pretty from pictures I have seen!

[Autumn]

33. They are. Their personality is wonderful and they love their humans.

[Rebl2]

42. First I ever heard

of them was on the Martha Stewart show.

[Diamond_Dog]

18. Awww! Adorable chickies!

I know zero about raising chickens. Wishing you and the flock lots of success!

How does Maybee like them?

[MontanaMama]

21. Maybee is VERY interested in them.

I believe she thinks they are hers. I have to watch her closely because she's a little rough. She did share her favorite squeaky doughnut toy with them...they were not very impressed.

[RoadRunner]

20. Eggsalent

They look happy

[CTyankee]

22. May I ask what happens when they get older? Do they stop laying eggs? If so, are they euthanized

and eaten?

[Autumn]

31. Nope, not in my coop. They are retired and pampered till they die.

[MontanaMama]

35. Great question!

My chickens are pets and while I technically have them for eggs, I really keep them because they are wonderful to have around. They’re a laugh a minute and they follow me everywhere. When the girls are done laying, they live out their days in my care. My oldest chicken, Squirt, was 12 when she passed. She spent her last few days wrapped in a blanket in a homemade hospice in my laundry room. They’re part of the family.

[judesedit]

23. They are all adorable. I lived on a ranch with lots of hens and roosters lol

Got to experience, the brooding and the hatching of quite a few eggs. It's really something. Nature is amazing. We had eggs every day of course, but they seemed to be on the smaller side. Enjoy your chicks. Keep them safe. There are different critters that will try to get at them. It sounds like you're already experienced with them, so you probably know way more than I do. 🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣

I'll admit I wasn't too crazy about cleaning the chicken coops, though. lol 🤣

[MontanaMama]

36. Oddly, I don't mind cleaning the coop.

The girls all like to “participate” in the action which is hilarious. I just found natural help bedding for their roost and left hutch. It’s low dust and doesn’t have to be changed nearly as often.

Yeah…predators…my current coop is solid. We have a lot of raccoons and bears and this coop has never been breached. Fingers crossed that continues. I free range the girls during the day but lock them up tight every night.

[SheltieLover]

24. Adorable!

[KS Toronado]

26. With such a variety of colors

You can name them everything from Blondie to Daniel Boone. You could have a naming contest,
that way you could tell Maybee which one to go gather eggs from.

[MontanaMama]

37. Haha!

She’s VERY interested in them.

[Guilded Lilly]

27. Most enjoyable post of the day!! (N/t)

[AmBlue]

28. ok.. these little ones are PRECIOUS!!

They are all so damn cute!! #2 has a special sparkle in her (his?) eye.

[MontanaMama]

38. Chick #2 is Polly.

She’s the fluffiest of the group and is very sweet tempered. I am holding them all several times per day to get them used to being handled…whenever I return a chick to the brood box, Polly is first the check on the returnee.

🐥

[AmBlue]

41. See there?

I knew it! LOL!! **squeee!!!**

[3catwoman3]

29. What cuties.

How fast do they mature?

[MontanaMama]

39. Incredibly fast!

These chicks will start fledging any day. They’ll be pretty much fully grown by early summer and they’ll start laying anywhere from 18-24 weeks of age. The chick stage is so short, unfortunately.

When our snow is gone and the days warm up, I will put this group in a round pen in the back yard so that they can meet the big girls but also be safe from them….but they’ll continue to sleep indoors until they’re fully fledged and can keep their body temp stable at night. It usually takes me 3-4 full days to get two flocks to accept each other and get along. I don’t tolerate meanies…they get a quick tap on the beak and a stern word if they cause a ruckus.

[llmart]

34. What a delightful post!

How can anyone not fall in love with baby chicks? I love all the names you've chosen too.

[MontanaMama]

40. Awww thanks.

It’s impossible not to love these cuties. Everybody gets a name because they really are pets. Chickens are so smart…they will absolutely come you call their names.

[Butterflylady]

43. This takes me back in time

At Easter time one could go into your local 5&dime store ( yes I know a lot of you youngens are asking "what is a 5 & dime store), well it was a store sort of like Walmart only way, way, smaller. It carried everything from clothes to plumbing supplies. Whenever you needed something that was where you went.

Anyway, at Easter you would fine baby chicks in all colors. Pink, blue, green and of course purple. It was like seeing a jumping Easter egg. I always asked for one but the only answer I got was what are you going to do with a chick when it grows up to be a chicken?

Still wonder today what became of those chicks.

[Emile]

44. My neighbor has Barred Rock. According to him they

are great layers. I think they are beautiful birds.