vituperation

I sure do like our little baby chicks. It’s hard not to, because they’re so damn entertaining, running this way and that, pecking at everything in hopes that it’s edible. A couple of observations, then I’ll get out of the way and leave you with some pictures.

- The Buff Orpingtons (the golden-colored ones) are easily the most laid back and willing to be held. One of them will even run over to be picked up.

- Okay, it’s probably running over to see if you have food, but still.

- Both of the black breeds are very skittish and run like hell when the HAND OF GOD descends from on high into the brooder.

- All the chicks calm down immediately when you pick them up and will stand placidly in your hand, blinking and cheeping happily.

- Yes, happily. There’s a happy cheep, a “something’s wrong” cheep, and an alarmed / scared cheep.

- Really.

- Chickens will shit at the drop of a hat. No matter where they are, no matter what they’re doing. In the food, in the water, on another chick, it doesn’t matter.

- Life for a chick(en) is: peck peck peck poop peck peck poop gulp gulp poop peck peck.

- They’re funny as hell to watch, especially when one of them gets after another or they’re trying to “fly”.

- I think one of the Ameraucanas (the multicolors) is going to be a rooster. It’s got much bolder and deeper coloring, and is considerably larger than all the other chicks.

- Robyn calls him “Fricasee”.

- Their wings are starting to feather in nicely already.

- One of the Buffs had a condition called “pasty butt”, wherein poop gets dried over their cloaca and plugs it up. It can be dangerous, and there seems to be disagreement over what causes it (dehydration, constipation, the shock of shipping). If you catch it quickly it’s not hard to deal with. A damp cloth will soften it enough to get it off them without pulling skin or down. It’s not generally a problem after the first week.

- Oh, and giving them Pedialyte and oatmeal helps with the pasty butt.

- It really is almost like having a human baby around. You spend time changing diapers (paper), wiping butts, feeding them, playing with them, and giving them things like Pedialyte and Gerber baby oatmeal.

- Late yesterday afternoon, I became concerned that there wasn’t enough room in the brooder. Between the feeder and the plate for the waterer (they slop water all over the bedding; the plate’s there to catch it), it seemed to me there was hardly any room for the babies at all. We went to a local store and bought an inflatable kiddie pool that’s about 5.5 feet in diameter. It took about fifteen minutes of alarmed cheeping to get it out of their systems, but the chicks seem to be happy in their new digs. As is par for the course with me, it didn’t occur that I should take out the camera and get some pictures.

- Speaking of pictures, have some.

No, she didn’t. I set her there after she was on my leg in the previous picture,
to see what she’d do. Mostly she walked in circles and looked over the edge.

Our little rooster-to-be (I think). I love the little downy feathers coming in
just below his eyes. He should be pretty. I hope he’s not an ass.