How fast they grow!

My new baby chicks are all doing well and growing up very fast. The three Rhode Island Red chicks are now a little over three weeks olds. The three black sexlink chicks are just over two weeks. 

Within two-three days of having them, I could already tell which was the boss chicken.  She is the biggest of the big Rhode Island Reds.  Even at just a few days old, if she wanted to walk  somewhere, she marched right over the top of any other chick in her way.  She's still bossy.

They are still under a heat lamp, of course, and will be for another two weeks or so. They won't be ready to go outside until sometime in early June.  Compare the photo I took last night with one I posted the day I brought them home. There's quite a difference.  Then, they were only about a third the height of their one-quart water jug, and today the reds are taller than the jug.

The little ones are already getting their feathers and their tails. They are all very inquisitive and obviously a lot stronger than they were then. Though the black sexlinks are a week younger than the reds, I believe they will also be a slightly smaller chicken than the reds. I expect the reds to be large chickens and the sexlinks to be medium-sized.  The sexlinks are supposed to be good, strong laying hens, so we will see how that goes.  So far the babies are doing just fine!