Pipd's Peeps!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Well, that didn't take long! Babies P and G up to no good, with Baby B watching. (Their feed dish is a chick waterer base because I didn't think about it and gave my only chick feeder to their parents months ago.

)

These guys are way too cute!

They're still spending a lot of time under the EcoGlow, but as y'all can see above, they're starting to take an interest in eating and drinking. Babies P and (I think G, although that may have been B...) figured out how to drink all on their own with me just poking at the marbles in the water to show them what to do. I was afraid to dip their beaks because of how tiny they are, so I'm glad they're figuring things out on their own. They also like to snuggle under my hands like a mama hen's wings, which is so heart-meltingly adorable that I can hardly stand it! I have a video of their little sounds that I'll get uploaded ASAP! I need to get a good picture of them to show just how absolutely eensy they are, too! I've never had such tiny chicks!

I am sorry you lost one!

You do not need to eggtopsy since you know what happened. It is sad but that happens sometimes with chicks

That's what I figured, too. Also, I may cry if I do open that egg up. Especially if it turned out that that baby was a 'black' Silver Duckwing, as I really wanted one of that variety, too. Not that I'm not overjoyed with the babies I did get, though!

They're so cute! Glad you had an overall success, and can't wait to see these babies grow up.

I'm so happy, too! Not to worry, there will be tons and tons of pictures as they grow, I'm sure! Y'all will probably be sick of looking at them by the time they're grown!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Five peepers peeping, from earlier. (Sorry it goes out of focus--one of them was trying to warm itself under the hand I was holding my phone with, so I was a bit distracted. )

Their leg bands finally got here, and none too soon! I noticed when I was holding them earlier that the rainbow loom bands were actually too tight and causing a little swelling on a couple of them. So you might notice for a bit that some of them have a splash of color on their back in their pictures. I wasn't sure when the leg bands would be here, if even today, so I got out my set of markers that I got a few years back for chick IDing. I don't use markers for the job anymore because they wear off so fast, especially when they're this young because of all the dander that they continue to shed for a while after hatching. Well, of course the bands would come right after I had to resort to that! So, no worries, there isn't blood on the one's back--just red marker in a very poorly thought out move.

Luckily, the other chicks don't seem to notice or care.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Look at those tiny bands! Glad they came today!

 

[itspebbl]

I love their little peeps and squeaks. Glad you go the new bands in!

 

[drumstick diva]

I love them too - too bad we don't know what they are saying

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Peepers today!! I made a little studio (out of paper towels ) and took a few pictures of them. What a set of stinkers! Here's their individual shots, in hatch order (oldest to youngest).

Baby P, the only Khaki:

Baby B:

Baby G:

Baby Y:

And finally, Baby R:

@Leahs Mom was totally right, y'all. These leg bands are pretty awesome. I'd definitely recommend them, too!

Group shot--the closest I could get to them standing in a row. They didn't quite cooperate like the Marans did last year. (And yep, someone pooped within moments of me putting them there... But it wasn't Baby G who did it! She's being framed! )

A couple more in the brooder. They've already made a mess!

Here is my attempt at a comparison between the Fawns and the Khaki baby:

And finally, back under the EcoGlow. They're still sleeping a lot, especially Y and R, but they're definitely getting more active over time!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Sorry for the lack of cuteness so far today, y'all. I was getting things around and setting my eggs for the Easter Hatch-a-long. Just in time to find out that the Ovation's turner is not working. I'm so frustrated. I just got this thing last year, used it one other time and not even for a full incubation, and it's not working properly. I guess I'm going to have to get the Octagon ready for another round. And I was so looking forward to a less hands-on incubation. I'm not happy. I need to get in contact with Brinsea and raise some heck.


Anyway, just a couple pictures of cuteness from yesterday. I really wanted some size comparisons to show how eensy these babies are compared to any other chicks I've raised, so I got out this piece of a large egg carton and tried to get the babies to pose in it. That did not go over well and I had very little cooperation.

Here is Baby Y, as in, 'Y are you doing this to me?'

And Baby P, as in, 'P-lease stop.' Okay, I'm done now.

They're already bigger, if you can believe it! Three days old and they're approaching the size that the bantam Cochins were at hatch. It's unbelievable how fast these little guys grow! One of them hopped up onto the EcoGlow already (I only know because whoever it was left a piece of evidence there... ). Later, Baby B hopped up there, then promptly freaked out, and continued to peep in fright every time she peeked over the top of the EcoGlow after I rescued her. I have no idea what scared her so.

It would seem that these peep-peeps are going the same route as the Marans did last year, getting overly attached to me. Every time I leave the room, one of them starts peeping SUPER LOUD. I adore spending time with them, but I do need to eat at some point!! Anyway, I hear someone peeping now, so I guess duty calls. Hopefully some cute pictures will come of all the time I'm spending with them today.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Picture overload!! After about an hour of peace this afternoon, I heard the beckoning call of the peep-peeps and returned to the side of the brooder... to find that they had practically emptied their food dish. Guess who's figured out how to scratch!

But at least they're cute, right?

They're growing way too fast! Three days old and they're already growing in wing feathers and even tail pins!

They're getting more and more energetic too! Baby G loves 'flying' across the brooder, flapping her wings the whole way. This is the closest I've come to catching her in the act.

Under the EcoGlow, I think I may have interrupted a secret meeting.

Sorry, guys...

Sigh... So cute.

They've definitely gone the same direction as the Marans last year. Tonight, as it was getting dark in the room, they were inconsolable until I came in and sat with them with my hand by the EcoGlow. Then, finally, they went to sleep.

 

[drumstick diva]

They are so stinkin' cute - I hope they let you get some sleep.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

They are so stinkin' cute - I hope they let you get some sleep.

Luckily, with the heat plates, as soon as it's dark in the room, they're quiet! So, at least at night, I can sleep.

Not so luckily, as soon as there's any light in that room (and my window faces the east, so that's as soon as the sun rises!), they start peeping for me. Talk about a wake up call!








This morning, it's looking like a winter wonderland around here again.

The girls are none too happy, but it should get warm enough to melt it off by this afternoon, so... Here's hoping, right?


In the mean time, I shook off and flipped over the towels for the brooder, which included returning all the crumble that the babies dumped everywhere back to the food dish in my futile effort to tame down the mess. Sigh... So clean...

And then... Here comes trouble!

So, the brooder is no longer so clean. Here they are in action, the little stinkers! (Baby P at one point tumbled on to her back--but no worries, she's fine! )