Baby update

Today I let the babies come out into the general population of the coop for the day.  After some initial interaction with a couple of pecky hens, everyone settled down with the babies in one corner and the adults elsewhere.  The adults really enjoy the first day of "babies out," because that gives the adults access to the super rich baby food.  It was nearly empty by the end of the day.

Now that their feathers are coming in, I can tell the chicks apart.  The two blonds on either side of this photo are the Lakenvelders -- my first white egg layers ever!  The chick on the right with some white feathering is a Speckled Sussex.  And the grayer blond to the duck's left is an Ameraucana.  She'll lay green eggs.  I also have Welsummers, but I don't think they showed up in these photos.

When I went to round the babies back up into their pen this evening, I caught Mr. Duck harassing the female baby.  She's only six weeks old!  I chased him outside to give her a rest.

I do feel bad for him that he's without a mate.  He's a handsome guy, but a bit awkward with the girls.  He doesn't know when to back off.

As the feather on his bill demonstrates.  Honestly!

It was important to get the babies out for some exercise, since they're growing so fast that they now stretch the limits of the isolation pen.  But there's another reason that I need to get them incorporated with the rest of the flock.

This hen has been broody for about ten days.  I forgot to write down the actual date she stuck to the nest.  And now that I look at the calendar, it may be two full weeks already.  In any event, she has five eggs under her and she is stuck like glue.  So in a week or so she will need the isolation pen with her new babies.  Which I hope will not all be roosters!