The Buffs look so huge now when they fluff up their feathers. I can almost imagine them full sized. Almost.
We put them out in the run now sometimes during the day and they go crazy over all the entertainment: fresh leaves, insects, soft dirt, vegetable parings from the kitchen. Heady stuff.
I hadn’t realized they would spend time resting, settled into the dirt, when there was so much to do, but just like every creature, I suppose, they have to have some down time.
And of course I can’t let you go without another shot of my saucy Buff:
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
soooooooooooooooooooooo cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i like the saucy one. she’s super cute!! so the chickies stay in their pen most of the time still? is that because they are still so young?
We love our buffs – best chickens ever
Cori–They really do seem like the most chilled out of the three breeds I have.
Corinne–They are in the run and the coop all the time now that they 2 months old. I guess I started with this when they were about 5-6 weeks old. I can’t let them run totally free because of predators. The run is pretty big.
acv2–Thank you, ma’am!
Mine love resting and bathing in the dirt, but MAN(!) they are eating all my broccoli and cabbage leaves!!
I was looking for help on raising my chicks. And I just came across your website. Cute pictures. Just finished building a chicken coop in the backyard. I have 10, 1 month old chicks that I have introduced to the coop during the day. But I bring them in at night. Too many predators in our area. I’m new to this and I’m not sure if I am on the right track. The coop is 12 x 6. layed down on fresh dirt. I first introduced them to the outdoors when I go out to garden and I can keep an eye on them. But I have noticed that they are too busy goobbling up the bugs and worms that I bring up with my shovel that they aren’t scratching on their own. How do I stop them from relying on me to dig up the bugs?
This all started when my daughter came home with a single chick from the pet store during Easter….now I have 17. I was thinking of adding a run to the coop so then can run. How much room do they need?
avid petlover–The usual recommendation is 4 square feet per chicken for the coop, and 10 square feet per bird for the run. So, you could have up to 18 chickens in a 72 square foot coop (as yours is). The run, then, would need to be 170 square feet (or thereabouts)–the chicken police won’t git ‘ya if it isn’t exact.
As far as the bug issue, I’m sure they will get better at digging as they get bigger. Their instincts will take over and relieve you of your digging duties.
You sound like a very diligent chicken mama and I know they will be very happy chickens.