Week 2; Day 5

It's been a few days since my last post, so I figured I'd put up a 'not-much-going-on-but-everything's-fine' post. The chicks are still doing great: eating like crazy, growing like crazy, and generally seeming happy and content.

There are a few minor updates, starting with the chick that I was concerned with. It has started to flex its wing much more than it was, and the wing seems to be catching up with the other, as far as size. I'm still watching it for any unusual behavior, but I'm not terribly concerned any longer.

We're watching all of the chicks for emerging characteristics. It appears that two of the Cornish Rocks are beginning to develop a 'ridge' at the very top of their beaks, in the forehead area. I'm sure if I looked it up, I could find out for sure, but we're venturing our own guesses, and waiting to see if we're right. David and I both think that these ridges may indicate that those two are cockerels [young males]; the third Cornish Rock has the same kind of 'ridge', but it's not sticking up as high as the others' are. We'll find out eventually, right?

We have also discovered another problem. When we first set up the hutch, David checked one of the cats, to be sure that he couldn't fit his paws through the mesh at the front of the hutch. He did not, however, check the other (smaller!) cat's paws. I caught her this morning, paw through the mesh, lazily waving it, like she was just waving "hi" to the chicks. The chicks seem to have a healthy level of caution, and generally stay away from the sides of the hutch when the cats are nearby, so it shouldn't be an issue. But, of course, it will bear watching.

I picked up some grit from the store yesterday. In the next few days, I think I'm going to start trying the chicks out with a few treats here and there. Wilted greens, hard-boiled eggs, and plain yogurt, all seem to be at the top of the list of favorites for chickens. I think we'll wait awhile for the greens, but yogurt or egg sounds like a good place to start. Will post updates as needed.