Chick Fever

Chicks just a few days old the first week of March 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Chick Fever struck at the Little Bit of Paradise Farm back in February. Symptoms started after seeing chicks at a farm store. Yes, it was still winter, but getting chicks early means getting eggs in summer rather than fall or later.

After seeing the baby peeps, the chick fever progressed quickly. The symptoms included: continuous thoughts about baby chicks, what kind I wanted to add to my flock, the desire to listen to those little chicks peeping noises, and wanting to hold them & watch them grow.

Rhode Island Red chick on April 15, 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Out came my chicken books and to the library I went to get more books on chicken breeds. I had purchased a few books when I started chicken hobby farming two years ago. I wanted to be a responsible and informed chicken keeper before I started then, and needed to do more breed research now. **I believe if you are going to have any kind of animal, you should be educated on how to take care of that animal prior to getting it. I know of people who jump into getting an animal without doing any kind of research, and they do not know how to take care of that creature correctly. In my opinion, that is irresponsible and it can be detrimental to the animal(s) wellbeing.**

Chicks in mid-April in a bigger house.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons 2016

I had gotten Silver Laced and Golden Laced Wyandottes two years ago after we had a really cold winter. I wanted chickens that would be cold hardy and not have troubles with getting frostbite. These girls are beautiful chickens, but don't lay like I'd like and can be broody. With my current breed research, I decided on Black Australorps and Rhode Island Reds.

**In the first picture above, you can see the Black Australorps are yellow and black. It is so fun to watch how some chick breeds change in color(s) as they grow. With the Black Australorps the yellow changes to white, then the white slowly disappears, and the black feathers take on a green sheen when the light hits them just right.**

When I began my flock, I wanted to raise my chicks in an organic way. I feed all organic food, not just their grains, but I supplement with organic carrots and various other veggies. The eggs I have gotten from the Wyandottes have bright yellow yolks, taste wonderful, and have a creamy texture - and this comes from a person who never liked eggs other than deviled eggs as a kid! I hope when the new girls start laying, that their eggs will be just as good. The Australorps may start laying by the end of July. The Rhode Island Reds should start in later August.

Chicks in their outdoor pen June 11, 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

The new chicks continue to grow and get more feathers. Now, they are housed beside the older girls in a seperate pen.

It can be difficult to tell each breed's chickens apart from one another. I have thought about getting different colored leg bands so that I can name them and tell them apart. For now, I have one Rhode Island Red who likes to come up to me and peck on my arm. I've thought about calling her "Pecky Sue."

Black Australorp Chick on June 11, 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Orginally, I thought about calling the Black Australorps by various names related to black, and the same with the Rhode Island Reds - like Ruby, Rosie, etc. For now, they are just the girls, or "chick, chick, chicks" as I call to them.

My journey as a hobby chicken farmer continues. This summer I will be working on getting their chicken tractor mobile to allow them protective access to grasses and weeds. Plus, I want them to decrease the tick population around the farm; and maybe they can do the same with the grubs that are causing such a mole problem! Only time will tell.

Rhode Island Red Chick on June 11, 2016
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons