On April 10th our apprentice Hallie picked up our seventeen day old chicks from the local farm store and got them situated with the water, food, and warming cave!

Since we live off-grid with just a modest solar panel system, we aren’t able to use a typical heat lamp for brooding.  Instead, we figured out that we can use 2 heating pads to create a little cave.  We wrap both of them in a towel, place one on the floor of the brooder, and then use a bit of hardware cloth to make a little bridge arch and put the second heating pad on top.  It has been working great!

 

They settled in quite nicely, but wow! They grow up so fast!

Today, just about 6 weeks later, the chicks are just past the “awkward teenager stage” so we decided to move them out to the coop.

The girls stayed out there for awhile, making sure the rooster and other hens don’t get too mean. (Pecking order can be brutal, but is a necessary way they keep the flock safe.)

So far they are doing great integrating into the coop with the rest of the flock!

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