[ANHBUC]

Three darker ones and two lemon ones, wonder if it is an indicator of sex.  If it is their dad was lemon so fingers crossed for some girls. 

[New shoot]

Lovely chicks and a proud mum 

Hope you do have some girls there 

[Willow_Warren]

Awwwwww..... 

H

[devonbarmygardener]

Awww they are gorgeous.

And no I am not going broody!!  

I am!
I'd love for Genevieve (my Silver Sussex) to have chicks.
We don't have a cockerel though but I really like the idea.

[ANHBUC]

I started off buying in eggs for my broodies but this lot are the result of the young cockerel having fun. 

Nice weather today so they came out to explore for longer.

[GrannieAnnie]

Aww they are so beautiful!

DBG, can't you borrow a cockerel for a week? 

[ANHBUC]

I think poultry owners are wary of doing that due to the chance of transmitting diseases or pests.   

[devonbarmygardener]

Aww they are so beautiful!

DBG, can't you borrow a cockerel for a week? 

I have 4 chicken chums who need to agree first!
We're a collective.

It's my weekly clean day this sunday  - going to the plot straight from work after a night shift 

[ANHBUC]

They are growing quickly and enjoying exploring with Dotty. 

[ANHBUC]

They are really hardy compared with incubated chicks, I think a broody gives them a really good start in life. 

[New shoot]

They are lovely   

Hope at least some are girls and you get to keep them.  The colouring looks like it is going to be interesting as they grow 

[ANHBUC]

They are lovely   

Hope at least some are girls and you get to keep them.  The colouring looks like it is going to be interesting as they grow 

A couple of them seem to have a little comb developing but it is still early days.  I will be keeping an eye on their development as I think it helps to be able to spot the slight differences between male and female.

So fingers crossed for some females and as you said it will be interesting to see what colouring develops.   

[ANHBUC]

Well 23 days old yesterday and they had a little time freeranging with Dotty in the garden.  A couple did stray through the fence to where the rest of my girls were but they seemed to know to leave well alone.

I have put leg rings on them as I am wanting to improve my skills at spotting cockerels at an early age.  So I seem to have 2 cockerels, 1 hen and then 1 I think may be a cockerel and 1 may be a hen.  I have put the leg rings on the left leg of the ones I am unsure of and the right on the others.  Just have to wait and see how many I have got right.

The picture is on one male at the front and a female at the back.

[devonbarmygardener]

Who looks after them when you're on holiday?
They grow so fast - they'll have changed so much by the time you get back!

[ANHBUC]

My Aunty is coming to stay this time as she loves looking after them.  When she couldn't due to family commitments last year my next door neighbour did it.  She used to keep chickens so if there are any problems she can help my Aunty.