We have chicks!
Today was the day. The chicks were due to arrive by noon. I got up early and good thing, too, because Ted from the post office called at 7:10 a.m. My chicks were there and ready to come home! I pulled on my shoes and rushed out to the Jeep. I said a few prayers enroute asking that I find ten healthy chicks in the package and no sickly or dead babies. I'm still grieving Copen. I couldn't handle another loss.
After what felt like an eternity, I arrived at the post office. As I waited for who I presume was Ted to get the package, I chatted with the cleaning lady. We were both happy we got a good soaking rain yesterday, but agreed we could have done without the lightening and power outtages. I could hear the chicks peeping long before Ted returned. They were not happy about being jostled!
Out at the Jeep, I tried to cut open the box. But I had no scissors or knife and the box was sealed with a strap. It took a lot of doing, but I managed to saw through it with my key. The chicks didn't like that, either. The noise scared them, but if I shushed them and spoke in a lilting tone, they calmed down. After another eternity, I opened the box and peered in at ten plump chicks! I thanked God, tickled a couple of them, and then closed the box back up for the ride home.
Once home, I provided fresh water and flicked on the brooder's red bulb. Then I opened the box. The chicks all looked up at me, peeping away. I picked up the box to move it to the floor and one of the Rhode Island Red pecked at my thumb. It didn't hurt and I thought it was rather funny. Was I a threat or food? I had read it's important to introduce the chicks to the water source by dipping their beaks in the water when you first put them in the brooder. So one-by-one I did just that. They didn't like me doing that and put up quite a fight.
Once in the brooder, the chicks began running around. I had sprinkled some food on the floor for them to peck and they immediately got to work. As I slowly added chicks to the brooder, one of the Buff Orpingtons kept flying to the lip of the box. I guess it was more of a really good jump, but every minute or so, there it was perched on the edge and peeping happily. I can't help but wonder if that was the cockeral. It seems like something a baby rooster would do.
After they were all in the brooder, I lay on the floor and watched them for over an hour! They are fascinating little things. They suffered no ill effects from their long journey from Connecticut (I have New England birds!) I can see the beginnings of different personalities, too. It's funny watching them drink and eat. I'm using Valencia's waterer, because the chick one I bought wasn't very good. I put flat glass beads in the dish so the water isn't too deep (chicks have a tendency to get in the water and will drown). So the birds will walk all over the glass beads when they drink. They're so small, they fit inside their chick feeder. So all you see are fuzzy little rumps sticking out of the holes as they chow down. Of course, all the eating and drinking makes them litle poop machines! I've had to put fresh paper towels down three times already!
Here are some photos I've taken of the new additions. I have a light over the brooder to keep them warm and the bulb is red to keep them calm. So most of the pics either have a red hue or look a bit odd from me fiddling with them trying to get rid of it. Sorry 'bout that.
Here are the chicks in their shipping box. The green stain on the hay is a special gel given them for the journey. Typically, chicks are shipped in quantities of at least 15. I only ordered 10, so they were given a special heat pack and this nutritional gel to help them make the trip. It clearly worked. The babies are as healthy and vigorous as can be! The yellow ones are Buff Orpingtons (they're English). The mottled one buried to the left of the yellows in the corner is Pascua, she's an Easter Egger, which is a variety of an Araucana and/or Ameraucana, which orginated in Chile. The four red ones on the right are Rhode Island Reds. One of the Buff Orpingtons is a boy. All the rest of the chicks are pullets, or girls.
Here are just the Buff Orpingtons and Pascua. I can already see a pecking order being established, with lille Pascua near the bottom. She's constantly being stomped or pecked.
Valencia was very intrigued by all the peeping. She cautiously gave a sniff. I've seen her go up to the brooder about three other times. She just looks inside, gives it a sniff, and then walks off looking a tad annoyed. The lid is locked, so she can't get to them if she tried, but I keep a close eye on them all the same.
The watering hole.
They keep falling asleep standing up, which doesn't work that well. The other chicks keep running around and end up knocking the dozing birds down. I'm not sure why they're doing that.
After what felt like an eternity, I arrived at the post office. As I waited for who I presume was Ted to get the package, I chatted with the cleaning lady. We were both happy we got a good soaking rain yesterday, but agreed we could have done without the lightening and power outtages. I could hear the chicks peeping long before Ted returned. They were not happy about being jostled!
Out at the Jeep, I tried to cut open the box. But I had no scissors or knife and the box was sealed with a strap. It took a lot of doing, but I managed to saw through it with my key. The chicks didn't like that, either. The noise scared them, but if I shushed them and spoke in a lilting tone, they calmed down. After another eternity, I opened the box and peered in at ten plump chicks! I thanked God, tickled a couple of them, and then closed the box back up for the ride home.
Once home, I provided fresh water and flicked on the brooder's red bulb. Then I opened the box. The chicks all looked up at me, peeping away. I picked up the box to move it to the floor and one of the Rhode Island Red pecked at my thumb. It didn't hurt and I thought it was rather funny. Was I a threat or food? I had read it's important to introduce the chicks to the water source by dipping their beaks in the water when you first put them in the brooder. So one-by-one I did just that. They didn't like me doing that and put up quite a fight.
Once in the brooder, the chicks began running around. I had sprinkled some food on the floor for them to peck and they immediately got to work. As I slowly added chicks to the brooder, one of the Buff Orpingtons kept flying to the lip of the box. I guess it was more of a really good jump, but every minute or so, there it was perched on the edge and peeping happily. I can't help but wonder if that was the cockeral. It seems like something a baby rooster would do.
After they were all in the brooder, I lay on the floor and watched them for over an hour! They are fascinating little things. They suffered no ill effects from their long journey from Connecticut (I have New England birds!) I can see the beginnings of different personalities, too. It's funny watching them drink and eat. I'm using Valencia's waterer, because the chick one I bought wasn't very good. I put flat glass beads in the dish so the water isn't too deep (chicks have a tendency to get in the water and will drown). So the birds will walk all over the glass beads when they drink. They're so small, they fit inside their chick feeder. So all you see are fuzzy little rumps sticking out of the holes as they chow down. Of course, all the eating and drinking makes them litle poop machines! I've had to put fresh paper towels down three times already!
Here are some photos I've taken of the new additions. I have a light over the brooder to keep them warm and the bulb is red to keep them calm. So most of the pics either have a red hue or look a bit odd from me fiddling with them trying to get rid of it. Sorry 'bout that.
Here are the chicks in their shipping box. The green stain on the hay is a special gel given them for the journey. Typically, chicks are shipped in quantities of at least 15. I only ordered 10, so they were given a special heat pack and this nutritional gel to help them make the trip. It clearly worked. The babies are as healthy and vigorous as can be! The yellow ones are Buff Orpingtons (they're English). The mottled one buried to the left of the yellows in the corner is Pascua, she's an Easter Egger, which is a variety of an Araucana and/or Ameraucana, which orginated in Chile. The four red ones on the right are Rhode Island Reds. One of the Buff Orpingtons is a boy. All the rest of the chicks are pullets, or girls.
Here are just the Buff Orpingtons and Pascua. I can already see a pecking order being established, with lille Pascua near the bottom. She's constantly being stomped or pecked.
Valencia was very intrigued by all the peeping. She cautiously gave a sniff. I've seen her go up to the brooder about three other times. She just looks inside, gives it a sniff, and then walks off looking a tad annoyed. The lid is locked, so she can't get to them if she tried, but I keep a close eye on them all the same.
The watering hole.
They keep falling asleep standing up, which doesn't work that well. The other chicks keep running around and end up knocking the dozing birds down. I'm not sure why they're doing that.
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