The chicks are now five weeks old. The newness has definitely worn off (as well as the cuteness factor),but the kiddos are still doing a great job taking care of them. Our original agreement was that I’d build the coop and teach Potato Boy and Sissy how to care for the birds on a daily basis and then the birds would be their responsibility (expect for the days Potato Boy and Sissy are with their dad). I finished the coop the weekend after the chicks arrived, taught the kiddos what they needed to do, and have stepped back.

So far it seems to be working. Each night after supper the kiddos head out to take care of the chicks. On the off days, Lulu and the DW are eager to fill in. I’ve gone a couple of 1 week stretches without even seeing the birds.

The birds seem to be fine, though at some point I may second guess getting all five Rhode Island Red hens – there’s no telling them apart, at least at this stage. When they were chicks it was fairly simple – 1 was smaller, 1 had darker fuzz, etc. That’s not the case now. Hopefully, that changes as the they mature.