That's right...I got my little chickens this morning!
While cooking either Savannah or Granddaddy's breakfast this morning, I meandered out to my desk (where I keep my cellphone) and flipped it open. Sure enough, I had missed calls and a voicemail telling me that my chicks were in at the post office. I went ahead and ate breakfast myself, loaded some stuff (i.e. chick feed, chick grit, cow feed, and a hearty cardboard box) into the back of the truck, and roared off.
As of yesterday afternoon, we were going to put the chicks in the horse trailer as a brooder...by the time we went to bed last night, the plan had changed. Or rather, reverted to my original plan with a few minor detail differences.
Upon reaching the other house, I first fed the cows, then hauled the box out and hurried out to the barn were Mama said Daddy had told her he had another one. I found it without any problem and didn't even see any spiders. Then I rushed back to the garage with it, and started getting set up. Mama told me to go on and get the chicks and she would finish setting up. She also warned me not to have a wreak because I was in such a hurry...
I got to the post office and had to wait while a couple other people went through the line ahead of me. By the time it was my turn, there were a couple people behind me. I stepped up to the counter and said, "I'm here to pick up a shipment of chickens." After getting my name, the man behind the counter headed to the back to find them. I heard the peeping before he showed up again and it made me grin. In the meantime, I had a short exchange with the three people behind me. One was a older black lady who has such a pretty smile. She said she used to 'do that' [chickens] and that she used to get Rhode Island Reds. When I told her mine (half of them) are Rhode Island Reds, she seemed so pleased! She then proceeded to remark that she would have to do this again once she retired. The other people, probably a couple from up north someplace (they didn't exactly look or feel like locals) asked me a few questions too...when I was going out, the gentleman went and opened the door for me. It was unexpected, but appreciated.
I had to stop by over here to pick up some apple cider vinegar and garlic to make a home-made version of an electrolyte solution. I got across the creek and Mom mixed up the solution (I was getting the lights set up). Once done with that, I started unpacking the chicks, dipping each one's beak into the electrolyte solution water until I determined they'd gotten a drink, then I set them down into their boxes.
My roosters are Rhode Island Reds and my hens New Hampshire Reds...I got muddled in my thinking and thought I had gotten half Rhode Island Red hens and half Rhode Island Red roosters (the same with the New Hampshire Reds)...so I split them up that way. And then I got to looking at the label on the inside of the box. Phooey...so Katherine and I got them straightened out. I think I still have at least one rooster in the with the hens, but since the top of his beak was a little bloody, I'm fine with leaving him in there. The hens don't seem as vicious, but they sure were more stubborn about starting to drink! :P
McMurry Hatchery always includes a free 'exotic' chick in their orders...I think the one I got is a Brahman. We had a couple of those two years ago...the one hen was dumb as a box of rocks. I rather liked the roosters, they weren't so bad. After we butchered them (at about 5 lbs or so) we found out that it isn't unusual for them to get up to 10 pounds!
While cooking either Savannah or Granddaddy's breakfast this morning, I meandered out to my desk (where I keep my cellphone) and flipped it open. Sure enough, I had missed calls and a voicemail telling me that my chicks were in at the post office. I went ahead and ate breakfast myself, loaded some stuff (i.e. chick feed, chick grit, cow feed, and a hearty cardboard box) into the back of the truck, and roared off.
As of yesterday afternoon, we were going to put the chicks in the horse trailer as a brooder...by the time we went to bed last night, the plan had changed. Or rather, reverted to my original plan with a few minor detail differences.
Upon reaching the other house, I first fed the cows, then hauled the box out and hurried out to the barn were Mama said Daddy had told her he had another one. I found it without any problem and didn't even see any spiders. Then I rushed back to the garage with it, and started getting set up. Mama told me to go on and get the chicks and she would finish setting up. She also warned me not to have a wreak because I was in such a hurry...
I got to the post office and had to wait while a couple other people went through the line ahead of me. By the time it was my turn, there were a couple people behind me. I stepped up to the counter and said, "I'm here to pick up a shipment of chickens." After getting my name, the man behind the counter headed to the back to find them. I heard the peeping before he showed up again and it made me grin. In the meantime, I had a short exchange with the three people behind me. One was a older black lady who has such a pretty smile. She said she used to 'do that' [chickens] and that she used to get Rhode Island Reds. When I told her mine (half of them) are Rhode Island Reds, she seemed so pleased! She then proceeded to remark that she would have to do this again once she retired. The other people, probably a couple from up north someplace (they didn't exactly look or feel like locals) asked me a few questions too...when I was going out, the gentleman went and opened the door for me. It was unexpected, but appreciated.
I had to stop by over here to pick up some apple cider vinegar and garlic to make a home-made version of an electrolyte solution. I got across the creek and Mom mixed up the solution (I was getting the lights set up). Once done with that, I started unpacking the chicks, dipping each one's beak into the electrolyte solution water until I determined they'd gotten a drink, then I set them down into their boxes.
My roosters are Rhode Island Reds and my hens New Hampshire Reds...I got muddled in my thinking and thought I had gotten half Rhode Island Red hens and half Rhode Island Red roosters (the same with the New Hampshire Reds)...so I split them up that way. And then I got to looking at the label on the inside of the box. Phooey...so Katherine and I got them straightened out. I think I still have at least one rooster in the with the hens, but since the top of his beak was a little bloody, I'm fine with leaving him in there. The hens don't seem as vicious, but they sure were more stubborn about starting to drink! :P
McMurry Hatchery always includes a free 'exotic' chick in their orders...I think the one I got is a Brahman. We had a couple of those two years ago...the one hen was dumb as a box of rocks. I rather liked the roosters, they weren't so bad. After we butchered them (at about 5 lbs or so) we found out that it isn't unusual for them to get up to 10 pounds!
New Hampshire Red...they'll change colors. :)
The one I suspect is a Brahman...
Take a drink, little chicky...
Little fuzzies...
Rhode Island Red
And just because...here's my two week old calf!
There you have it! Now, I'm off to go run feed store errands...
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