The little chickens are now nearly five weeks old and they are maturing fast. Today they went outside for the first time to enjoy a little bit of the warm weather and sunshine.

While they explored, I finished their new brooder as they have definitely outgrown the livestock watering trough they started out in. I decided on a 4′ by 3′ by 2′ high brooder, which is ok for this amount of chicks for now, but is designed to comfortably hold only about six growing chickens. It’s in my basement presently, but once the roof and perhaps floor has been added it will be moved outside .

As soon as the cockerels start making themselves known, I will be selling off all but the best two or three pullets of each type. I’m pretty sure I know which Welsummers are roos, but the Cochin/Light Brahma crosses are not as obvious. I did see my favorite, the largest one, sparring with other chicks today while outside in a distinctly male-type way, but nothing is definite yet. If you’re interested in some chicks, you can reserve them now by contacting me.

Meanwhile, the three bantam chicks have been separated out into their own small brooder. They are just too small to be in with all those big boisterous large fowl chicks and they were getting trampled. They’re much happier now.