Category Archives: Pets and Animals

Random Life Updates

Life is busy as ever. We have a few random things we’ve had going on in our life and around the house. The chicks are getting big fast. It’s amazing how quickly they start replacing the fuzz and start getting feathers. First the baby feathers come in at the wings (1-2 days old), then the little tail feathers start shooting out (day 3-4) and now (almost one week) the wing feathers are fully in and they are developing back feathers. We can also start to see their little necks and they are testing out those wings by flapping them around.

I think they are going to be out-growing the beer box that has been the de facto chick house soon. We are also starting to learn their little personalities. For instance, the Rhode Island Red is very loveable and just wants to be held all the time. The New Hampshire one tolerates being held, but peeps so loudly that it sounds like a whistle and the Ameraraucana is full of energy and  runs and flaps whenever we try to pick her up now.

three-little-chicks
Won’t be able to do this much longer!

Also, work has been going pretty good or the usual for both Britton and me. But we are also ready to be able to live in Puerto Rico -or wherever we want to live- without the traditional “office job”. One of the ways we hope to do that is by renting out our house and another house we are buying, but we realized that might not be enough. So, we have put an offer in on another rental property. It looks like it will probably go through which means more work for us this summer. Britton is nearly finished framing the rest of the basement in Evans so…another big project right around the corner! Fun, fun!

We also got a new roommate for the basement bedroom. He’s an nice older gentleman and seems to mainly work and keep to himself. He is from Minnesota but came to Greeley to buy the Culver’s in south Greeley.  We’ve had quite an array of people live with us now: a Japanese student, a German student, a volunteer fire fighter and Aims student, a city of Greeley municipal attorney and now a Culver’s Franchisee. Like I said, life is fun.

Oh, and I found a cool website that I just ran into while searching for info about chickens online. It’s about a couple who move to Hawaii to start an organic, free range egg and tea farm. Now that lifestyle is right up my alley.

orchids-in-bloom-on-table
Orchids in bloom on our kitchen table

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Spring Chicks Have Arrived!

The baby spring chicks have arrived safe and sound at our house. We just went to the feed store and picked up the baby chicks. They are so cute and fuzzy. They were kind of cold and chirping really loudly when we got them. Once they were home in the box with the heat lamp they quieted down. We introduced them to the water and food and they seem to be content. The New Hampshire one is yellow, the Rhode Island Red is…red, and the Americana is striped. Here are a few fun pictures.

Sleepy chick and Britton
Sleepy baby chicken and Britton

Baby chicks eating
The babies chowing down

Sleepy chick in hand
Warm and sleepy

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Hot Chicks in Greeley

Did that post title catch your attention? I was updating my facebook page the other day about the baby chicks that we will be getting this week. I said that I had to test the heat lamp in the box to make sure it got hot enough (around 95 degrees F) but not too hot. Britton responded, “Hear that? Hot chicks in Greeley at our house!” Well the hot chicks -er- baby chickens haven’t arrived in Greeley… yet. I just called the feed store where we pre-paid for them ($6 for 3 chicks), they are now expecting them tomorrow. We ordered a Rhode Island Red, a New Hampshire, and an Americana. They are brown egg layers except the Americana which lays green and blue eggs.

We have started preparing for the chicks. It is kind of like getting a nursery ready for a baby. This is a list of the materials we had to get just for three little squeakers so far.

baby chick set up materials and gear
Materials for raising chicks

A heat lamp with clamp
A red heating light bulb
Pine shavings or other litter
Baby chick food
Waterer
Feeder
Box

Britton has also almost finished building the chicken coop AKA the chickens’ summer house. Since we had that big blizzard the other day, we haven’t moved it out to the backyard yet though. I think it’s looking good!

Building a Chicken Coop hutch
Britton working on the chicken coop in our garage

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