I fell for it again... Sooo.... I'm BA-aaack!!!!

Hey everyone!! Well After having to find new homes for all my Chickies last year , due to Family health issues and a divorce, I said no more Chickie Babies ever again!! Just too much going on in my life to have more babies to care for!
Welllllllll, I had to go to the Feed store to get Hay bales for my new Straw bale garden, and wouldnt yu just know.... Chickies everywhere!!!!! I fell and I fell Hard for it again.... Chickie Fever!
Sooooooooo here I go again!
It turned Cold over night so Here I was with new babies and a new problem. I had not planned to bring home any thing I had to feed, let alone Chicks. So what was I to do~! Well here was the result of Quick thinking and MOTHER of neccessity!
Crazy Looking I know!!

Peel back the little Quilt! You have Plastic Sheeting!

Under the Sheeting is a 30 gallon Aquarium , with a screen reptile cage locking top. On top of the screen is a string of Amber Christmas lights, with two plastic trays to keep the heat in and a styrofoam ball to keep the far end up for ventilation! Whewwwwww!

Here you can see the lights. they keep the tank at a warm 85 degrees.

Welllllllll! What can one say!! Is it kinda like putting the cart before the horse?? We have all been there one time or another. Any way "never say never" LOL. Have a great day and welcome back to the forum. Haystack.

......and Here they are! My Precious new addition to my Family! I have 3 Rhode Island Red Pullets and 5 Buff Orphington Pullets. Names to be coming soon!

Thanks Haystack!! I knew Id be back but Hadnt planned to be this soon! Im a Chicken Lovin NUT, Uhhhhhhh, I think everyone knows what I mean Here! LOL!!

Always love seeing the babies. So adorable and so dependent on those who love and care for them. I wish you every success and happiness. Keep us posted as they grow. Never get tired of the pic's. Haystack

Welcome back, Eufaula! We missed you.

Welcome back. Those are some adorable fluffy chicks! I can see how they drew you in. hehehe You think fast on your feet to have a set up ready and running to keep them warm!! Nice! I do luv the BO!!! CUTE!

Thanks to you all for the welcome back! I love it here and have been lurking for a while getting really Home sick for this particular forum! With no Chicks to report on I felt that I really did have " Empty Nest Syndrome"!!!
Well back to my newest Fluffer Butts! Here is my newest Baby Pal! She just took me by surprise when I went to clean their tank, by jumping right into my hand! So I just put her into my pocket and we finished the chores.

Just look at that , only a week old and she is getting her first little feathers on her wings and...............

On her little cutie Pattootie!

This message was edited Mar 15, 2009 1:26 PM

Welcome home!

CUTE! They grow so fast!!

Oh how adorable! Welcome back! Chicks are such good therapy.. I'm happy for you!

Eufaula, you're back!!!!!! WooHoooooo! :) I have thought about you a million times, wondered how you were, and whispered a little prayer for you each time! I remember how brokenhearted you were when you had to get rid of your chickens and hoped that some day you'd become a 'chicky momma' again. This forum wasn't quite the same without you, Eufaula.... We missed you!! :)

Well, 8 chicks are a nice start. How many chickens did you have before? Did you also have guiney hens? I've been trying to decide if I want to try getting two or three to see how I like having them. Haven't decided yet... Keep us posted on how you're coming along. :)

Eufaula,
Glad to know I am in good company when going to the feed store just for hay, and pick up chicks not meaning tooo....
I like your solution that you came up with...

Ohhhh my this makes me feel right back at home again! I missed everyne here too!
ZZ, Yes I thought many times how just having My little Chicky Family helped me through some really heartbreaking and downright scarey episodes in my past two to three years. I They were so comforting to me and gave me something happy to think about and care for.
Glenda, Being a Chicky Mom is my Calling I guess, Who can resist them???I would like to get Guineas, but am having a problem finding them small enough! If a Had a Broody Banty I would get some Guinea eggs to hatch but havent had luck with the eggs yet! IF you dont get guineas right from hatch they tend to wander off.... and thank you so much for your prayers, I had a lot of those from many and I know they worked cause here I am , Happier than I have ever been!
Miss Jestr, Yep you are definitely in good company here! We all get the uncontrollable "Chicky Shakes" upon entering a feed and seed !LOL!!
Thanks again for the heartfelt Welcome Back From everyone!

Here is my little gang, all snuggly in their "tank brooder", while the temps are still a little cool out. Since I have them on the porch, they can see the outside , which is getting them used to activity around them. A fly settled on the outside of the tank and the girls went crazy trying to get at it!

They wont be babies long. Just look how fast the feathers are developing. the RIR's seem to be ahead of the Buff's though. I think the RIR's just might be a week older.

More Feathers! On sleepy little girls last evening!

...and then it was night night ! Then Mommy covered them up with their little quilt to keep the drafts out and kissed them goodnight!

As soon as the other 7 went to sleep, My little caretaker of the brood, " Big Sis" , finally gave up and went to dreamland too!

Oh! How sweet!

I like the perch! hehehe My frog has one like it. Their little wings are so cute.

Welcome back Eufaula!

Here they are trying to figure out what the heck Mommy is thinking????? Green and yellow thingies , What IS THIS???
their first look at frozen Peas and corn.

Today was their first day of being in the natural sunlight and "Pre-free-range"! As you can see it took them a little while to figure out all the freedom!

They soon started pecking and scratching at the grass and stems on the ground. One found a small bug and a game of tag began to see who would actually get to eat it!

Then after about two hours it was time to get back to the Brooder! They were ready too!
Here they are settling in for the afternoon! You can see how fast they are growing now! They are actually 1 and 1/2 inches taller than they were last week at this time and the new feathers are coming in so quickly now! You can see how scraggly their old Fluffy coats of down are becoming.

Look at this little Buff , her down coat is shedding as we speak!

Eufaula, what size tank is that you are using for a brooder for 8 chicks? I have several sizes around here I can use when I hatch chicks. (My first time.) And are those Xmas lights? I use them as a heat mat for peppers, but that looks great for a brooder. No bright light in their eyes. Becky

Hi Beclu727, My Tank is actually a 35 gallon snake tank or Terrarium. It has the lower sides and wider front to back. The Chicks have plenty of growing room and head space for at least another 2 weeks! As for the Amber lights, they work great. I put an old fashioned metal/enamled dish pan over them, on top of the screen lid to the tank and then cover them with a quilt at night to hold in the heat! Chics are doing well and comfy! The color of the lights really cut down on the heat and the stress factor.
I put natural Play sand in the bottom of the tank, which is easy to rake and clean. I just turn it and stir it every day. Then after a week I take a flat piece of cardboard or a piece of plastic ( half a coffee can lid) and scoop out the dirty sand and replace with new. The Chicks need the sand in their crop ( special part of their throat for grinding food) . So I dont worry about their swallowing a little! If they were with their natural Mama they would already be scratching and picking up sand and pebbles anyway!

You are so right, Eufaula. I have my first broodies with chicks running around the yard and I can't imagine how they survive. I mean in the house with broodersI am constantly worrying and checking the temp and cleaning everything, or feeling guilty that I haven't--but outside little 3 day old tiny, tiny, bantam chicks are running around in 50 degree temps, eating everything on the ground and thriving.

Here they are, outside again for the second time! Now they have a new "earth House"! Just a little shelter that is covered with tin and has earth sides to keep them warm and snug. The Blue you see is the outside wall of an above ground pool, that comes in handy as a protective fence from predators, including snakes!
This is their training play yard getting them ready for the Chicken yard and free ranging( I hope)!
right now they have about a 12X12 yard.

I was raking their new yard, and they just followed me around, especially when they found out that new tasty thingies might just get raked up!

...oooooooooooh, YUM!!!

Here is their new body guard! Officer Pepito, on duty!

I think the chicks will outgrow thier protector soon!! Pepito is cute.