What have we done now?!?

As I continue my 2013 quest for new experiences and learning we decided to participate in the Urban Chicken Project...  May/June will be the months of becoming mother hen to 5 adorable baby chicks.  When I called to see if I could be added to the list of participants I was given permit number 67 out of 75, hooray!  And told we would have to go to chicken school, and I keep saying I'm done with school. Our first class was held on a farm where they had 47 hens and one amazing Rooster...  plus 2-3 dozen "teenager" (4-6 weeks old) babies that were available for purchase.

Instructor Tom opening the coop and letting the girls run!

Tom's beautiful Rooster

After two chicken classes and a trip to city hall we were given the "official" letter and hit the internet to find a reputable hatchery.  We wanted 4 newborns from different breeds so we could tell them apart.  When I hit the purchase button they asked if I wanted a free meal maker.  Free is good for me so I said yes!  As it turns out, it's a free hen that they give away if you promise to raise her to laying age and donate her eggs to a charity...  oops!  We have 5 sweet baby girls?  (hopefully)  

Here are the glamour shots, 24 hours after being hatched!

Meeso (as in me so cute) our Plymouth Barred Rock
She will have black and white striped feathers and will give us brown eggs

Miss Scarlett our Rhode Island Red
She's our beautiful redhead and will give us brown eggs

Buffy (the insect slayer) a Buff Orpington
Our lap chicken, another brown egger

Foggy (short for Foghorn Leghorn) our, you guessed it, White Leghorn
She will be a big white feathered bird and give us white eggs just like you
get at the store

Charity, the Meal Maker, and a second White Leghorn
She will graciously provide eggs to a needy home or family

The little poopers arrived almost two weeks ago and have been growing every day, we take them outside and let them explore, all the while keeping our eye on the predator hawks that are circling our babies.  

in the garden

They stay close

We are hoping to have people friendly chickens so while they are young and manageable we take them out of the box several times a day and let them climb all over us.  All but Miss Scarlett will climb to our shoulders and fall asleep.  Meeso and Buffy both give us quick little pecks on our face, neck and hair!  Since it's not a serious peck, but appears to be very deliberate and soft, we've decided they love us and those are little peeper kisses!

They are developing distinctive personalities.  Meeso and Buffy are very sweet, they will step onto my hand when I reach into the box, and settle into my hand easily.  They both give me kisses, love to climb in my hair, and take naps on my shoulder and chest.  Buffy has been known to knock the others out of the way when a hand is offered in the box.

The twin Leghorns, Foggy and Charity, are growing faster than the rest and appear to be the leaders.  The were first to understand and demonstrate the new watering system, the first to develop wings, and the first to try to get out of the box!

Foggy expanding her horizon

 We now have little barriers clipped to the sides, and will be moving them tomorrow to a cage!

Miss Scarlett, true to her name, is high strung, high maintenance, and not quite as friendly as the rest.  She is the first to raise an alarm, will sit up and cheep while all the others are sleeping, will fight the others for a treat (mealworm) and will let me hold her, but won't settle into my lap or hands.  She was the first to fly off my hand to the floor, and may I say, WOW!  she has gorgeous wings!

Please join me in welcoming these sweet girls to our home!  We can't wait to get them into the Coop (tentatively called the Mini Cooper, since it's going to be movable).  We should be getting eggs in about four months!