Wednesday 9 June 2010

Chicks growing up


These above here are the Brown Sussex chicks - there are six of them in the main brooder box and the one with the bad foot is in a separate box. I am relieved to be able to say that its foot is now flat, with the toes spread out properly. It does tend to stand on the other leg occasionally, as if to take the weight off the weaker foot, but it is much improved. We plan to integrate it with the main group soon.


This is the same group - I thought this one was looking at me quite cheekily and so I couldn't resist taking this shot. They are now bedded down on shavings, having made the transition from anti-slip mats. They also have deeper water troughs now - no marbles either. Their new water pots are old tuna cans!


These gorgeous little guys (and gals, I hope) are the GPOs. Their partridge feathering is coming through already! No horrible red glow on this photo as the lamps are now turned off during the daytime.


Heads down and bottoms in the air as they tuck in to their tea time ration of chick crumbs.



This photo shows their wing feathers coming through well. There are also six GPOs in this box, so we have the baker's dozen at the moment. You've probably noticed that there isn't much difference in the plumage of the two groups at this stage - we've put rings on the GPOs today so that we know for sure which is which, in case they get mixed up at any time - and it is possible that when they go outside, they may all go in together, which will ease the transition of the solitary bird into the flock, as each group will think that he came along with the other group, I hope!

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