Here we are.....one month old!

Things are going great with the babies!  We have one wonderful mama.  Grun has been super and the babies just adore her.  I didn't realize how big they were getting until I went to tuck them in tonight and saw these big ol' babies huddled next to Grun.  They still try the occassional jump on Mama's back or under her wing, but it's getting less and less believable since they are so large and now fully feathered on their wings!  I have a feeling Mama Grun will be kicking them to the curb soon.  She is letting them get further away from her when they are out an about.  So far, they all interact with the big girls and Lila with no incidents.  Grun doesn't seem to have to go Kung Fu on them much anymore.  They still run to keep up with her, but they are definitely wandering further from her at times.  They can fit between the fence on the chateau, so I usually open it in the morning or Grun will pace from inside while the babies taunt her (and the big gang!)  wandering around the yard.  I'd rather have Grun with them, so they are basically free ranging all day.....in every sense of the word!!!  They will be truly spoiled!  I catch them in the front flower beds every so often when I get home from work, but I do believe they stick to the chicken garden and around the coop area and possibly up by the swing set.  I'm glad they can be trusted and there is plenty of spots to run for cover, so they have kept themselves safe.  We are lucky not to have any preditor issues in over a year.  We are in fox territory for sure, but with the coop up next to the house, I think that helps deter them. 

Diatomacious Earth-  Kenny has been adding Diatomacious Earth to the wood shavings in the coop.  We do think it's been keeping the fly population down.  YEA!  Wonderful how great natural, chemical free solutions can be!  With the rain we have been having, the babies run is a little muddy so we need to pick up another straw bail to clean it up a bit.  We kept straw in the big gang's run over the winter and it really seemed to keep the mud to a minimum.  Plus it gives the gang something to scratch and boy do they enjoy that! 

Here's some pics of the babies at one month old!  We can not say for sure sex yet, but I am hoping that the Black Ameracauna (aka Blackie for now) and the Blue Americauna (Mouse) are girls.  Keeping an eye on their combs which do not seem to be enlarging.  Brownie.....on the other hand has me perplexed.  His mother was the frizzle but not sure what else she was mixed with.  He/She has feathered legs which is pretty cool.  The comb is small but very wide which makes me suspect it might be male.  I posted some pics on the chicken boards and am hoping for some expert opinions.  It's feathers are coming in very pretty with some brown/silverish lacing around the neck.  There are many patterns on it's feathers it will be very pretty.  Mouse's head is coming in darker gray, but that is what both the males and females look like, so no telling by color for the solid two, at least by color. 

The following shots are of 'Brownie'.  Notice how pretty the feathers are patterned.  In this first pic, you can see the pink under the corner of his mouth....waddles are starting to form.  Another reason to suspect male.  Females have waddles too, but early developing ones could mean male.  I also got a good leg shot so you can see the feathers on it's legs!  First feathered leg chicken we've had.