The Chicks Get An Upgrade

That's right!  These chickadees are growing up which means they get new living quarters!

They started out in a clear bin when they were just wee ones.

Then moved into this larger purple bin as they got bigger. 

But they grow so fast that it was time to upgrade!  So I saved up my Imperfect Foods boxes and harassed a few friends/family members for theirs LOL--thanks guys--all so I could build a bigger brooder box.

I think it took something like 4 of the largest boxes, and maybe 2 rolls of clear packing tape to get it to look like this.

Then two medium sized boxes on the bottom to hold the sand.  I had to angle two of the edges slightly inward so that when we put our wire top on (which came from two baby/pet gates), it would hold and not fall through.  Anyway, Folau filled it with sand.

David smoothed it all out.

He also made sure the water and food were elevated a bit on brick pieces so the chicks wouldn't make a mess and get sand or their droppings everywhere around it.  Pretty nice huh?

Nifai help relocate the chicks to their new temporary home once everything was situated.

They seemed pretty happy!  And look, they've got chicken feed all over the sand floor anyway--oh well!  In all honesty, they knock that whole feeder on its side DAILY.  Every time I go out there the feeder is either on its side or there's a chick standing on top of it.  Sometimes, it is what it is.

I read that chicks need about 6-7 square inches of brooder space per chick.  Look at all that room!  It's a chick mansion!  

I caught them commiserating in the corner.  I think they were planning an escape.  They kept pecking at the corners, checking the durability of their new enclosure.

When I asked Smokey what they were talking about (he's the gray striped one pictured here), he couldn't even look me in the eye.  Shameful how some birds are so ungrateful and will even PECK the hands that feed them.  

Well, no matter.  I think another 3-5 months and we should be getting some eggs from these chickens.  I did learn a few new things about chickens recently...

If you are planning a garden (WHICH WE ARE!!), chickens are great for tilling the soil a bit because they're always scratching and pecking at the ground.

Also, David found a great chicken coop/run on youtube that only requires cleaning once or twice a year and uses the droppings from the flooring to create a compost we can use in our garden.  How brilliant is that?!?!  So during the month of May is when we'll get a coop built and put out in the backyard so our chickens can finally enjoy the great outdoors instead of our dark closed garage.  Stay tuned!