Marans on the move

2

May 6, 2013 by suchandsuchfarm

We got our first group of Marans about 4 weeks ago, back then they were precious little one week old balls of fluff that bounced around their roomy brooder. Now they look like prehistoric dinosaur-like chicken creatures that I’m certain are going to start breaking out of their brooder while I’m sleeping and start revolting. It’s time for them to move out and start living like normal chickens instead of house chickens.

I was hesitant to move them outside because of the abnormally cold and wet spring we’re having. However, we have this pretty baller camper shell condo coop set up outside so with a heat lamp and since they’re fully feathered at 5-6 weeks, they should be fine.

Moving them in one by one, I think they were as nervous as I was!

Oh, and did I mention that they’re getting roommates? Yeah, we have a new pair of chicks that we named Sid and Nancy. They have pink and blue heads which makes them look really punk rock and they also tore up the brooder like a hotel room so we found the names Sid and Nancy appropriate. Why do they have blue and pink heads? Good question. Sid and Nancy were Easter chicks, meaning that someone injected food dye into their embryo while they were still in the egg so when they hatched they were bright blue and bright pink. These little guys were marketed to be cute pets for the childrens in the city around Easter time. However, they don’t stay cute forever. As soon as their new feathers come in, they lose their bright colors and look like a normal chicken, then people don’t want them since they don’t look cute and Lord knows what they do with them afterwards. So these are our foster chicks, I’m pretty sure they’re Leghorns though. As in Foghorn Leghorn.

Here’s Sid and Nancy!

Anyway, I moved them all one by one into their new digs and after a look around, they took to their new surroundings. I even checked on them late last night and they were awake, walking around underneath the heat lamp. I guess they were pulling an all-nighter.

So that’s great, now our house is chicken free…. until next week when 15 Marans and Ameruacanas come! I think I have empty nest syndrome.

They love it.

Checking out the new digs… look at their beautiful coloring coming in!

They must be thirsty from their long journey across the front yard.

I think they like their new digs!

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