1 Week Old Baby Chickens!!!!

The babies are starting to grow their feathers.  It is AMAZING how quick these little things grow.  They are one week old today and soooo cute.

We ordered a set of three rare breeds from My Pet Chicken.  We always order from them because you can order as little as three regular sized chickens or as little as five miniature chickens (Bantams).  Additionally, they will sex the chickens for you, so we have never had to worry about ending up with roosters.

Basically the rare breed collection that we ordered means that we ordered three and they surprise from a list of rare breeds based on what had a good hatch the week of shipment.  So here's who we got.

This is a photo of the strangest looking little girl.  Her name is Bubbles.  And as if there were any doubt, seeing as how it looks like someone circumcised her head, she is of the Naked Neck (aka Turken) Breed.  The alternate name comes from the fact that they look like a cross between a chicken and a turkey.  Here she is:

Bubbles - She is such a sweet little girl

Bubbles - Getting her wings!

The photos have a bit of a red tinge to them because of the heat lamp right above the brooder box.  I have to hold them over the box when I take their picture because they are wiggly little things and they will wiggle right out of your hands.  I don't want one of them to fall and get hurt.

It's a little strange petting Bubbles.  She has a nice tuft of furry feathers on the top of her head but then you get to her neck and chest and it's very thin, wrinkly, and slightly transparent skin that moves as you run your finger over it.

It's anybody's guess as to what color she will end up being, but here's a picture (and an article) of an adult black naked neck chicken. Tee hee hee.

Our next little girl is Cotton Candy, courtesy of my 5-year old step-minion, Jack. We believe that she's another Buff Brahma, based on her coloring and the feathering on her feet.  We have one Buff Brahma already, named Buffy, and she's a wonderful bird.  It's a real delight to get another.  Here's a couple photos of our new little one:

I have to hold her a little snugger cause she's a real wiggler.

Her coloring is much darker than the other two, but that will change when they get older

Cotton Candy, aka "Cotton", will grow up to be a nicely feathered, stout and round bird.  They carry themselves very proudly, and their coloring is quite different as an adult.  There is a picture of one here.

And the last of the bunch is Daphne, courtesy of my other step-minion, Wyatt, who is very into Scooby Doo at the moment.  She is what we believe to be a Buckeye.  What makes that really cool is that the bird originates from this great state of Ohio, the only breed developed by a lady, and is an endangered breed.

Daphne

Pretty little Daphne

You can see a picture of a bearded guy holding an adult Buckeye Chicken at the website for The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.  I didn't know this group existed till I was searching for her breed on the net, it's a quite interesting site really.

And finally, here is a photo of the whole group of them.  Every time I come around they go running away and huddle in the corner.  They're not quite used to me yet!

Little bundles of fluff