| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Apr 13 2026 : 12:13:49 PM
We finally did it! We have added more to our little farm! My kids convinced my husband that we needed chickens. We picked out our little chicks over the weekend and they are doing great so far. All the kids and dogs love sitting next to their box watching them. They have also been named! With hopes they are not roosters. Meet Ethel, Rita, Lucy, Charlotte, and Roseabell!
.jpg?v 33623715)
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 27 2026 : 1:04:09 PM
We have one that I am starting to think is a rooster. It likes to stand up straighter than the others, will peck at you when you try to change the water and food, seems bossy to the others, and the comb seems a little redder than the others. I could totally be wrong though!
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| msdoolittle |
Posted - May 27 2026 : 12:23:47 PM
I look for a few things, Krista. Larger combs/wattles, a deeper, raspier "peeping". And usually boys are bestowed with the weirder and prettier colors (in my experience). Of course it won't be long and you'll DEFINITELY be able to tell when they get the red, large combs and begin to do their teenage crowing attempts! Silkies are the most difficult to sex for me because they take much longer to mature. Generally though, the smallest chicks with tiny "peeps" and tiny combs are the girls. ;)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.blog |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 22 2026 : 1:57:43 PM
When could you really determine the gender of your chicks? We have had them for 6 weeks this coming Sunday. I am starting to get impatient and would really like to know what we have lol!
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 18 2026 : 1:18:10 PM
This weekend we took out their little chick perch and added a wooden dowel so they can all fit. They seem much happier with their bigger perch!
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 15 2026 : 1:17:05 PM
Michele, it really doesn't. They lost their fluffy chick stage really fast. Good luck with your chicks Michele!
Nancy, I agree. It feels like just last week when we bought them. How can they be almost 5 weeks? Time is flying. We will be having eggs before we know it.
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| Nancy Joplin |
Posted - May 14 2026 : 08:46:28 AM
They are growing fast! So pretty!
Nancy 8352
FGOTM Oct 2024 |
| windypines |
Posted - May 14 2026 : 04:46:59 AM
Krista, it never takes long for them to get feathered out. I got my chicklets yesterday. All is going well so far!
Farming in WI
Michele
|
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 13 2026 : 1:49:25 PM
The chicks are not so little anymore! Only a couple more weeks and they can move to their coop. My chick is the black and white one. Her feathers are beautiful! I could look at her all day.
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 06 2026 : 12:37:02 PM
Aww your little duckling is adorable! I bet you make a great mama duck! I am excited for the rest of them to hatch.
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| Killarney |
Posted - May 06 2026 : 08:06:22 AM
Awww how cute and how exciting to raise chickens and Ducks.
Connie Sue |
| Simple Living |
Posted - May 06 2026 : 06:24:53 AM
So cuddly. They are so lucky to have a loving family.
Isaiah 30:15 Your strength will be in keeping calm and showing trust.
Farmgirl #3842 |
| shennandoah |
Posted - May 05 2026 : 1:23:20 PM
Krista - I have two ducklings hatched so far and 4 more not far behind (plus an abandoned clutch of chicken eggs are going in the other incubator). So excited about the ducklings. Mama duck rejected them so now I have to be mama duck.
Making memories, building connections, and adding color and magic to every day life!
Farmgirl of the Year 2024
Farmgirl #8578 |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Apr 29 2026 : 12:58:36 PM
We had plans to put ours in the garage, but since we have purchased them our weather has really declined and we haven't been warm. We get really bad wind frequently and it just blows right into the garage. So they are still inside hanging out in the living room! The dogs enjoy watching them which is adorable. Thanks for letting me know about the water. Hopefully we can avoid that for a little bit longer!
I am so excited about your ducks! I bet it's awesome watching them hatch and grow!
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| shennandoah |
Posted - Apr 27 2026 : 6:36:21 PM
I did the same thing with a dog kennel! I also added hardware cloth so I can keep them on the porch until it's time to transition to the coop (we are warm here so with heat plate they are fine). I also hung their water. The only problem is that once they get bigger they bump into the water and make it spin and spill.
As for the ducks, one is chirping and pipping now. There are two more not far behind, and four more that likely need another week. Since I only have two hens and they were hiding eggs, I didn't have a full clutch to gather in one day.
Making memories, building connections, and adding color and magic to every day life!
Farmgirl of the Year 2024
Farmgirl #8578 |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Apr 27 2026 : 1:34:42 PM
Shennandoah, I read that too. I wish we would have just started with a heat plate instead. It seems like the never ending red light messed with their sleep cycle. Since switching they sleep all night instead of the angry chirps at night. I did get one with the pitched roof, so we have avoided the chicks from being on top. We put them into a wire dog kennel and hung their water and food from the top. This has helped a lot with preventing their bedding from ending up in the water and food when they dig. How exciting for your new chick and ducks! How much longer do the ducks have?
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| shennandoah |
Posted - Apr 24 2026 : 6:58:25 PM
Krista - the heat plates are definitely safer and easy to manage. I did not get a texted one tho, so my birds end up on top of the plate (and thus, poop on it!). I just hatched 1 new buff orpington chicks and have 7 Muscovy ducks eggs in the incubator still. Can't wait for those to hatch!
Making memories, building connections, and adding color and magic to every day life!
Farmgirl of the Year 2024
Farmgirl #8578 |
| nndairy |
Posted - Apr 24 2026 : 6:18:13 PM
Glad to hear your chicks are doing so well!
~Heather
“I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.” — George Washington
|
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Apr 24 2026 : 1:17:51 PM
We are upgrading the chicks to a larger enclosure today. It's amazing how fast they have grown in 2 weeks! I am also hoping this will help keep the bedding out of their water and food. We also swapped them from the heat lamp to a heat plate. They have been much happier with it.
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| Nancy Joplin |
Posted - Apr 22 2026 : 7:24:48 PM
Krista, it would be great! Just let me know! I am so excited for the experience. Any time!
Nancy 8352
FGOTM Oct 2024 |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Apr 22 2026 : 3:17:09 PM
Nancy, I am happy to hear your husband is supporting you! It would be a fun Farmgirl adventure!
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| Nancy Joplin |
Posted - Apr 21 2026 : 2:08:45 PM
I am waiting for your call, Krista! I am good at harvesting and have missed getting to help with it! My Husband is supporting me in my offer. He is excited that I may get to help! We will fill your freezer with tasty chicken and parts!
Nancy 8352
FGOTM Oct 2024 |
| Jokamartell |
Posted - Apr 20 2026 : 5:25:21 PM
How fun! :)
Karen :)
To quote one of my past preschoolers “Not one of those Karens, but a good Karen”! Haha |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Apr 20 2026 : 1:22:49 PM
Heather, they really are lol! If you need something, just print it!
Thank you Michele. We do too! Have fun with all your new chicks!
Deal Nancy! I discovered today that I actually have a dual purpose chick. It's been growing faster than the others and decided it would fly out of our large container onto the edge. ( That is what led me to researching the chick) They are also known to clear 6 foot fences. Leave it to me to select the one chick that's going to challenge me lol! Now to figure out a new brooder.
Krista
Farmgirl Sister #528
Farmgirl Of The Year 2025 |
| Nancy Joplin |
Posted - Apr 18 2026 : 3:13:08 PM
Krista, if you do meat chickens, I would be happy to come and help with the harvest! I always enjoyed seeing the fruits of my labor in such an amazing process.
Nancy 8352
FGOTM Oct 2024
|
| windypines |
Posted - Apr 18 2026 : 03:11:36 AM
A little roost, how cute. LOL. My chicks come May 13. Layers and meat birds this year for us. I hope your chicks are all pullets.
Farming in WI
Michele
|
