This morning, we got a 7 a.m. phone call from the post office in town saying our chicks had arrived from the hatchery and would we please come pick them up. (Hear very loud peep, peep, peeping in the background.) This qualified as our second batch of peepers.
So off I flew trying to coax some warmth from the heater in my trusty old '85 Toyota Tercel so I'd have a cozy car on this chilly morning to transport the little guys home in.
They must have indeed been a little chilled after their two day trip from east central Iowa to northeastern Minnesota. (You would have thought they could make the trip in one day, but apparently not.) All snuggled together for warmth they were when we opened the box. Hi, guys!We split an order with Chicken Mama so what you see here are actually four different breeds. Ours are Black Australorp and Light Sussex. (I'm sure Chicken Mama will post about her new babies soon.)
With just a smidge bit of help, they took to eating and drinking right away and are adjusting well to their home in the brooder we have set up in the garage. Chicken Mama will take her chickies home with her tonight and ours will stay here to grow into healthy hens. However, there's a good chance about half of them will be healthy roosters because the chicks are "straight run" which means they aren't sexed. So most likely we'll end up with about a 1 to 1 ratio of females to males. All but two of our roosters will find their way into the freezer and the hens will go on to be our new laying stock. Yay, new hens. Yay, plenty of eggs this coming winter!
I am always amazed at how these poor little fragile things survive a trip through the postal service. Sometimes the gas bill arrives in shreds. Glad everyone survived the journey.
ReplyDeleteThey are so cute! I hope they are healthy productive new members of the family even if some of them end up on your dinner table.
ReplyDeleteMy word verification for today is an actual word! 'grated'
cute little buggers, and you really have a 85 Toyota-I thought I was bad with my 94. Just had to replace the engine tho-my grand-son did not remember to check the oil. It is suppose to be OUR car so I guess it is 1/2 my fault.But at least it isn't a gas hog!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear from you again so soon, although we'd understand if you took a few days off! I never thought of that before, but you are right about that being 2 days I guess, without the benefit of the major airline nearby, it kind of makes me laugh that it takes the city payment I make at the office a week to clear, yet chicks could be in my house in 24 hours LOL. I just love those Tercels - although I'm amazed yours has a heater fan that still works! I remember the long drive (an hour each way) to the "U" in the winter, I had to use a "lap blanket" just like Laura Ingalls in the wagon hehehee... and had to keep my window cracked in the cold so I could see through it :)
ReplyDeleteYAY! Loving to look at those little baby chicks. :)
ReplyDeleteOhhh! New babies!!!
ReplyDelete~~Lori
Aw, always so cute. Light Sussex you say? I'll have to look those up. I love the look of the Speckled Sussex, but alas, do not have any.
ReplyDeleteJane - I know. I was thinking the same thing this morning as I was driving home with the chicks. I wonder how many careless employees tossed the box or treated it roughly. (Hope no one!)
ReplyDeleteSparkless - All 28 chicks made the journey in good shape. So far anyway.
judy - All credit for my Toyota goes to my hubby. He keeps it in great shape.
Erin - The Toyota actually has a really good heater . . . it just takes a while to get it up to speed!
Well, you know they say when the going gets tough, the tough get going. (I'm not feeling very tough but it doesn't help anything to let the sad and weepies get a hold of ya.)
Mama Tea - Yup, too bad they only stay that way for what? About two days?? ;o}
Lori - We've been way overdue for starting new chicks (as witnessed by our old gals going completely on strike this past winter) so we're welcoming these new little guys.
ReplyDeleteLeigh - This is our first time with the Light Sussex so we're eager to see how they do.
I love new little baby chicks! Mine are now young women and out in the coop with the older ladies. Mine were guaranteed to be girls as much as you can guarantee such a thing. They still look like all girls, so here's to hoping.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Yvette
warm and humid next week-I am only the messenger so don't kill the messenger-but the 80's are we still in MN
ReplyDeletehopw your odds are better then mine 18 chicks 12 hens 6 roosters. These for meat so more hens is not good
ReplyDeleteYvette - Yup, that's the way to go if you don't want to deal with half (or more!) roosters!
ReplyDeletejudy - Omigosh! Really? I've got to go check our local forecast now.
Qwaynt - Not fair! Why does it happen that way??