First full day

Our little chicks have now spent their first full day in their new home. After the initial loud peeps and chirps of the first few hours they calmed down and accepted their brooder box. The girls became calm, quiet and made contended sounds instead of stressed out chirps. They just needed some fresh food, water, and a warm place to call home.

The 4 baby chicks as found first thing in the morning. They were sitting together warm and cozy in front of their water dish.

Much to their dismay I woke them up this morning when I entered the room. Darn you momma hen! We were napping, why did you wake us up? *chirp chirp* Henrietta, Merrill, and Tara quickly ran over to the water dish for a long drink. Willow, the most stubborn of the little chicks refused to get up from her nap.

Henrietta, Merrill, and Tara all drinking from the water dish as Willow sits back with her eyes closed. Why, oh why, are we interrupting her nap time with these mean photos?

All 4 chicks at the water dish. Tara is attempting to stretch out a leg (it is morning after all and she had just woken up, it is the perfect time for some morning stretches) but Henrietta is shoving through the pack to get to the water dish. Poor Tara fell after Henrietta pushed her way to the water.

After a nice long drink, the chicks awkwardly walked over to the breakfast table for some yummy organic chick starter. I promise, it tastes better than it sounds. At least it must because the little fluff balls love it! They eat it, they kick it out onto the newspaper, they pick at it there, and they even scratch in it. Willow eventually joined them but only after she had about 3 more minutes in the warm glow of her heat lamp. The early bird catches the worm, but since she doesn't need to hunt for her food she was in no rush to make it to the breakfast table.

Henrietta, Merrill, and Tara eating out of the temporary feeder. It is a little cardboard box lid filled with their yummy organic breakfast. Tara was picking out the corn pieces and attempting to gobble them all up before anyone else found them first.

After a long drink and yummy meal the chicks spent the rest of today learning how to stay steady on their wobbly new feet. They are much better than they were last night and have been running around the brooder box. Sadly, much of the running has been away from their momma hen. The 2 barred plymouth rock girls (Willow and Tara) are relatively affectionate. They like being pet and handled. The same cannot be said for the 2 golden laced wyandottes (Henrietta and Merrill). They still run away when a person's hand is in the brooder box. We are hoping that they will become more accepting as the days go on. Within the next few days we will bring some treats for the little peepers in hopes of teaching them that human hands are good and are not there only to lift them up into the air and check on their health condition. This momma hen wants to make sure they are healthy but she also wants them to be happy little chicks.