Foster homes for chooks.

This is an 18 day old chick.

Those spangled spots are starting to emerge on his chest.

I got home later than usual and that combined with the sudden cold, wet weather meant the light was no good for photographing each chick in close up, so that will have to wait until the weekend -- sorry!

But I think there are 4 girls and 5 boys.




This is the chicks having a snack before bedtime, out mingling with the extended family.

Notice how Alice is allowing it, but is certainly on guard and a little on edge judging by those slightly ruffled hackle feathers.

And this is what greeted me when I popped my head in to say goodnight to Angelina and her chicks.


Chicks hatched in incubators and raised under the glaring lights of a brooder box will never have this warm, cozy experience with their mother.

I urge all chook lovers and keepers to reconsider how they raise and where they source chicks.

I'm sure it's lovely to have a box of fluffy chicks in your loungeroom -- but in the long term you and the chooks are much better off with them having had at least 6 weeks in the loving care of their mother. 

Then if you really want the "baby chicks" experience in your home we can supply fertile eggs any time one of your flock go broody -- you then become their foster carer of anything that hatches for 6 weeks before we arrange rehoming of the girls (and take back the roosters before they begin to crow).