The baby chicks are now 1 week old!

The baby chicks are now 1 week old and just look at how much they have grown! This is the easiest time for them. I just clean, feed, water, cuddle, and give lots of belly rubs! I love how little these bantams are! And that they all look different and have their own little personalities!

Look at those grey and white feathers! She is going to be just gorgeous as she gets bigger!

This is our tinies chick. She is half the size of the chick above! She almost doesn't look real! Natalie has named her "Sushi"! 

So here is little "Fuzzy Toes" As Natalie calls hers. She's so pretty! I love her spotted beak!

And look at those fuzzy feet she has! <3 I love them! 

And just look at those orange and black wings on her! She's just the cutest little thing! She's always fighting pasty butt so she gets a lot of baths! Needless to say, she isn't happy with me when I have to pick her up. I think she's afraid I'm going to get her wet! 

And this girl is HUGE. I had no idea that chickens would be bred to grow so fast they can die after a year old :/ But apparently she is a meat bird bred to grow super fast and most are butchered at 8 weeks old. I'm not sure what to do at this point other than feed her feed that isn't going to make her grow super fast to hopefully prolong her life since we bought her for a pet!

Look at those tiny tail feathers! So cute! 

Thanks for reading! ~The Vela Homestead

New baby chicks are home!

So today I had to make a run to tractor supply for no other reason but hubby needed to get a welder and I wanted to grab some pine shavings and straw! I had no need to get more chickens but I have wanted other colors and to have a more colorful flock. When this first girl (or boy who knows) was spotted I knew I had to have her! She was the only one with these markings and so adorable!

Than there was this girl, and I loved the marking at her eye! 

And this girl was spotted and I had to have her, but t wasn't until I got home that I realized she has fuzzy feet and now I'm even more in love with her! 

Look at those fluffy toes! 

I really loved her orange markings! And she had pasty butt and I really wanted to get her home and cleaned up! 

And lastly here is "Big sissy" because she's huge next to the bantams! She is a Cornish Rock and will be solid white when she gets full grown! 

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed looking at all our new chicks! I will be sharing progression shots of them as they grow up so you can see what all their markings turn into! It's hard to find information like that online and it would be fun to have some on my little piece of the web here! 

Thanks for reading! ~The Vela Homestead

March is here and so is the snow!

It's March 1st! Which means I can share my newest calendar stitch! March is such a beautiful design from The Snowflower Diaries monthly free pattern, too bad it's not even close to spring here in Michigan right?

We had a good week of melted snow, and warmer temps but today the snow returned in full force. At least it's pretty because I'm over it! We are getting ducks this spring and it feels like I'm waiting forever for it to warm up enough! 

The twins have been doing really good! I had to laugh at this photo though. What timing right? There is always that one silly sister right? 

Genji girl one of our turkey hens got injured almost 4 weeks ago. She's healing everyday but i feel so bad for her. One side she just keeps re-opening. Our other hen treaded on her like a male would. I had no idea I would even have to look out for this having just 2 females or I may have caught it sooner. There's no infection and I've been keeping her clean. After 2 weeks I was able to reintroduce her to the farm after separating her. She wanted to be out with them so bad. I made her a saddle apron to keep on and I'm still keeping Muffet away from her when I'm not in the pen at feeding time. 

Other than that things have been going great. The flock and the goaties have been really happy to get to play outside again, but today it's back to the coop until it melts! 

It sure is gorgeous though isn't it? 

Also I just had to share this picture. We have these wild turkeys (and a rare white smokey turkey!) But I've never seen the males with them. Only the hens and the poults so I took this fun photo a few days ago and just watched those Toms dancing around all those girls trying to catch them some ladies! They are so funny to watch! 

Well that's it for today. I'm hoping to blog soon on the kombusha I'm brewing. Share some duckling photos and much more. I just can't wait for spring and to share so much more on there! Winter makes it hard since everyone stays cooped up and cold! 

Thanks for reading! ~The Vela Homestead