The chicks are getting really feathered now. They are no longer nearly as cute and fuzzy as in the photos below. Scratch still has the more distinctive stripes and coloring, but Scout has these humongous tailfeathers now. It makes us worried that she may in fact be a he.
A lot of people are wondering what I'm going to do if one of both of them turns out to be a rooster. Well, sadly, roosters are generally not allowed in cities (although I have yet to check Tuscaloosa's laws), plus, they are loud not just in the morning, but all the time. So if one's a rooster, he may have to go back to the farm. The farmer did tell us we could swap it out for a hen if this happened, but I'm so attached to my chickies now, I don't know if I can just give one up and take another one. They aren't consumer goods!
Other news:
The chicks were so happy to see me when I got home from my recent New Orleans jaunt! They hopped right up onto my hand, had a lot to say, and proudly showed me all the poo they made while I was gone.
They are now adept at fluttering up and perching on the edge of the box. After a couple of screwups last week resulting in falling out of the box (and screaming for my assistance), they now seem to have a handle on it. Nevertheless, I bought some plastic fencing to lay over the box to keep them in and safe when I'm not around. I'll also use the stuff to make them a little pen outside soon.
Scout is proving to be the more outgoing of the chicks. She's always quicker to jump in my hand, more into sticking her head up and looking all around, less easy to calm down by light rubbing. Again...is this evidence of maleness? Scratch is more calm and reserved...quite the gentlelady.
A lot of people are curious about the brown things in the water dish in the photo below. They are stones. You're supposed to put them, or something similar, in the water dish when the chicks are small to help prevent them from falling in deep and drowning. I have since moved to a different system, whereby I have an inverted coffee mug in the dish, with a half-inch gap between edge of mug and edge of dish, so they can drink but not drown, nor get in the water and splash around, as they were doing with the earlier arrangement. Still, the search for the perfect waterer continues.
Lastly, spring break began for me today! The chickens and I will soon be heading south!
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2 comments:
I know with other birds that the male is more colorful or decorated than the female in order to attract her attention. I don't know if that applies to chickens. What are the other signs?
According to what I've read, some of the feather shapes are different, and the males are more lively and outgoing.
If nothing else, eventually it will be clear who is a rooster and who isn't.
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