This Good Friday is our first ‘Fowl Friday’ at the farm. Time for an update on our Spring Peeps…
Easter Peeps
No no no…not MARSHMALLOW Peeps…THESE Peeps!
Curbstone Valley Peeps
It’s difficult to believe that our new chicks are almost a week old! Since their arrival on Monday, all the chicks have been going between bouts of all-you-can-eat-buffet…quickly followed by a power-nap-attack. Sometimes the naps sneak up on them so fast, they fall asleep standing up! It’s been quite amusing watching as some of them start to drift off, slowly dropping their little beaks downward, until they’re beak-down in the litter on the brooder box floor.
Power-napping Peeps
Nap-attacks of course are quickly interrupted by the one lone chick that of course is WIDE awake while everyone else is sleeping. To liven up the party, said chick usually launches itself across the brooder box, stepping on any peeps that might be in the way. At which point, the entire box erupts into a chorus of cheeps, and everyone goes back to the buffet.
...and we're all awake again...
This hasn’t been the only activity this week though. Between eating and napping…napping and eating…the chicks have been busily working on their new suits. There’s no question that someday the fluff will give way to feathers, and so far, the wing feathers are growing in at a mighty clip! Most of the chicks have even been seen with just faintest hint of tail feathers emerging too.
One week - wing feathers growing in, and a hint of tail feathers too!
Our older hens had a little excitement too this week, when a Bobcat decided to pay them a visit in broad daylight. I only just barely managed to capture a few seconds of video as he was making a hasty retreat.
Of course, we also have a peek at week old peeps.
Don’t forget to stop in next week as we continue to follow the chick’s growth! Happy Easter!
———————————————-
We realize it is Easter week this week, but we’d like to remind everyone that Curbstone Valley Farm does NOT advocate purchasing chicks for Easter as gifts. Many such animals are abandoned each year at local animal shelters soon after the holidays. Chickens, especially baby chicks, require specialized care and attention far beyond the realm of the holiday week, and should never be acquired impulsively. Please carefully consider whether or not you and your family can devote the time and resources necessary to raising and caring for chickens before purchasing chicks from your local feed stores.
Thanks for sharing your peeps Clare!
Oh, and do I detect a prominent forehead on one of those peeps in the video?
I’m glad your are doing your Fowl Fridays. Us peeps are glad to see your chicks 🙂
They do already seem bigger. The story of them waking each other just when the rest are sleeping reminds me of a slumber party when that last kid awake gets bored and starts waking everyone else back up.
Glad the Bobcat didn’t get into any trouble!
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..A fruitful Fertilizer Friday. =-.
Those chicks are so adorable! Couldn’t see the bobcat video, so I’ll check back later.
Those little peeps sure do grow quickly! Sorry to hear that the older hens had to deal with a visit from a bobcat, that must have been frightening for them!
.-= Heidi´s last blog ..Berry Bath Surprise! =-.
I LOVE your PEEPS!! Both kinds! The ‘pink & yellow’ ones remind me of ‘Easters gone by’ (we won’t talk about HOW long that was). The furry peeps are just the sweetest things.. and I can be like a ‘grandparent’ – visit, without the kid maintenance! ;o)
.-= Shyrlene´s last blog ..BOOYA! It’s 80 degrees on April 1st (NO joke!) =-.
Dear CV, You really must spend all of your time watching the antics of these wonderful chicks – and they are truly wonderful.
I applaud your warning against buying chicks for Easter. I cannot believe that people would behave in quite such an irresponsible manner. Dreadful.
.-= Edith Hope´s last blog ..Get Ahead – Wear a Hat =-.
Great photos of the chicks! It is amazing how the wing and tail feathers are growing in.
I think it would be unnerving to have the bobcats visiting like that, not to mention just knowing they are around.
.-= villager´s last blog ..Early Spring Update =-.
Those are gorgeous peeps! Ah, I love chickens. 🙂
Awwwwwww real cute chicks.
Happy Easter xxx
Clare they sure have grown alot in a week and I’m sure they’re quite noisy little things too at times.
I was amazed by what my friend was feeding hers with – hard boiled eggs chopped up – what do you feed yours with? as I know absolutely nothing about the rearing of chicks.
Plus I was shocked to see that some people would even consider buying a chick for Easter – its not an impulse buy but a purchase that needs careful thought and consideration as they don’t stay long as little chicks. Glad to see you are making folk aware of those facts.
I hope the weather is good for you this weekend – we keep getting hail showers here.
Happy Easter
Rosie
We feed a commercially prepared, organic, non-medicated chick crumble for the first six weeks (non-medicated because all of our birds are vaccinated for coccidiosis at hatch). We don’t feed eggs to ours ever, although I have heard of some people that do. There’s no harm from a nutritional stand-point. The main reason we don’t is because egg-eating can become a bad habit in older hens, although this is a behavior typically associated with raw egg consumption, rather than cooked. However, it’s a habit that once it starts in the hen-house, it’s almost impossible to break.
Purchasing chicks at Easter seems much more common here in America. I never saw it in England. Apparently here, they used to even dye the chicks pink and blue to make them more appealing for sale (this trend seems to be over thank goodness)!
That little bobcat film is great! That actually is some darn good wildlife footage! I’m impressed with the sleekness of his coat – they always seem shaggy when I see them. He (or she) looks great. Best of luck with the peeps!
.-= Bonnie Story´s last blog ..That’s life in the Puget Sound Covergence Zone!! =-.
Your local bobcat is a real beauty. Let’s hope that he stays well fed on wild caught prey, and doesn’t become a nuisance.
I’ve only seen wild bobcats twice, and I still get a thrill when I think of it.
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..A Handmade Easter =-.
Kitty! It’s great to see that there’s some bobcats alive and well. Not as scary since I know you’ve got the hens fortressed beyond belief!
This whole eat and sleep routine sounds appealing- where do I sign up?
.-= Christine´s last blog ..SF Garden Show: Papillon Pad =-.
They’re really cute.
Oh! The video of them is cute too!
When it comes to bobcats and humans, who are more afraid of whom?