Bantam Chicks

Sunday on a trip to Family, Farm and Home to get feed I was delighted to see that they were offering Bantam chicks at 50% off. Of course, I had to have them. They are now in basement, the only location free and safe from the seven cats that roam around. They have been named, by Taima, John, Ringo, Paul, George and Isaac. And no we don't know what sex they are!
Last year we purchased 10 adult chickens and basically "learned" how to take care of poultry. They wandered around as they pleased. Slight mistake as my flower beds were constantly being scratched and pecked at. I did not mind free range chickens but sometimes they refused to go to their coop and roosted in the garage. Noah was constantly searching for eggs in the hay bales or woods. Enough is enough and we fenced off an V shaped section of the alpaca paddock, moved the coop and contained the birds. At first they were confused and annoyed by being closed in. But they got over it.
At the end of the summer I sold them so I did not have to over winter them and mess around with shelter, etc. This year we decided to get chicks and start from the beginning. The Bantams were an impulse purchase. I am hoping to convince my kids to show them at 4H. Plus they are a beautiful bird. We pretty much had everything we needed to set the chicks up. Introducing them to their new home was simple enough. We just held each one and showed them where the food and then water was located. I think the heat lamp was a bit too hot as they spent the first two days huddled in one place. Sam moved it up higher last night and this morning I checked them and they were moving all around their pen. Last month in Hobby Farms there was an article on starting chicks which helped me learn the basics. Sam is taking a "photo a day" and by the end of the month he will put together a collage and I will post it.