There are 50 young additions to Artistic Hound pet store this weekend, as the business carries on a tradition of renting out chicks for the weekend. Manager Alyssa Mcculloch, pictured, says she expects a lineup on Saturday morning. After their adventures, the chicks will become laying hens. - Erin Steele/NNSL photo

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknifers have an opportunity to take a chick home this weekend.

The Artistic Hound is continuing a 20-plus year tradition begun by its predecessor JJ Hobbies, of ordering in the young birds to rent out for the Easter weekend, before they go to a woman in Kam Lake and become laying hens.

Alyssa Mcculloch, manager with the pet store, says it's a "quite popular" tradition.

"People just come on Saturday morning and they rent the chicks for the weekend and they keep them for as long as a week," she said while standing above a glass enclosure holding 50 small and fuzzy chirping birds.

"There's usually a lineup in the morning when we get here (at 10 a.m.)."

The most important chick-care tip is to keep them nice and warm, said Mcculloch - that is because at this age, the young birds are unable to regulate their own body temperature

"Keep food and water all the time really close to them so they don't have to wander too far away to get to it, and that's pretty much it," she said.

Mcculloch added caring for the chicks is "really good for families and children."

"It's a responsibility lesson and it's just been a tradition. I don't know how it started but it just grew."