Chicks to Chickens

On Easter we got some chicks! We didn't set out to get Easter chicks, that just happens to be when the chicks we were buying were ready to be picked up. :)

Picking out our eight new feathered friends

So cute, furry and little! 

One day old

We ended up w/ nine chicks total, we got a bonus chick for answering the breeders bonus question correctly. :)  

All snug in their new home.

Aren't they cute?

Once they outgrew their box, which didn't take too long, we moved them into a temporary home. Our wonderful friends let us borrow a hutch, just the right size for our growing babies.  Knowing how fast these gals grow, we got busy building our full sized coop.  Initially we hired someone to help start the job.  He got the basic frame up, then, Daddy and S. took over and finished the job.  They did all the chicken wire (we used hardware cloth which costs more but is much stronger than regular chicken wire), roofing and building of the run. The kids added the roosting bar and a little ladder for the chickens to climb up, when they were big enough to that is. ;)

S. and Daddy had fun working together building the coop and they finished just in time. Not only was the heat beginning to set in with a vengeance, but the chickens were rapidly outgrowing their borrowed, temporary housing!

Working on the run

painting...

and more painting

Moving day

Look at our cute chicks! :)

Checking out their new home.  

See how much they've grown?

 

That was a couple months ago. Now look at our baby chicks!

 

 Our poor hot chickens. :p

The next project for Daddy and S. is to build a chicken tractor so we can let them out in our grass without worrying about the hawks that are always circling above our yard, or any other animal that decides a chicken dinner sounds good. I think they are also going to look into building a mister system for these guys gals.

We're looking forward to fresh eggs by Christmas! :)