Chicks!

While finishing cleaning the barn from this morning's milking, my phone started ringing.  I answered, and was surprised to hear from the local post office.  My chicks were in!  I could go get them before they opened for business by ringing the service bell in the back. 

How exciting!  I ordered from Ideal Poultry this time around (they could get me chicks the fastest and had the lowest shipping cost).  I was expecting them tomorrow--they were shipping from Texas after all.  But they made it overnight.  Yeah!

Jayme was awake, so I left her with the sleeping littles, and headed for our small town.  I rang the bell, and could hear the chicks peeping through the door.  A couple of minutes later, and I was on my way out of town with a box of a dozen little chicks. 

When I got home, Jayme helped me get a temporary brooder set up.  If you remember, we are hoping that our broody hen (who lost all of her chicks before they hatched) will adopt them.  But, from all of my research, it appeared that they needed to be introduced at night for the best chances of being accepted. 

Jayme helping to unpack the chicks and dip their beaks in water.

It was 6:50 in the morning.  A long ways until night.  So we set up a little brooder area in the utility room.  Since it was supposed to be over 100 today, I decided we didn't need a heat lamp.  The utility room stays really warm--no opening windows or fans in there.  The chicks have done well all day, so I think that decision worked.  They haven't been huddling too much, and are peeping like crazy!

 We have 4 Golden Sex-Linked (our first time going with this type), 4 Ameraucanas (the blue and green egg layers) and 4 more Black Australorps (my dependable layers). They are supposed to all be pullets.  Only time will tell.  Well, I know the sex-linked ones are, but there are 8 others that will have to grow a while before we know for sure. 

As Owen, Jeffrey, Ellie and Sydney woke up, they were sure surprised! Simon really wanted to dive in, so we've kept him out of that area today. 

Some of the chicks have been named already.  We have a Chipmunk, a Beakie, a Sand and a Louis.  Other names have been thrown around randomly throughout the day, but I'm not sure which chicks they belong to yet. 

Tonight we'll see if our adoption effort works.  Otherwise, we'll be brooding these babies in a trailer turned chicken coop that's on the farm.  I'm voting for adoption to work though, it'd be a lot easier!

I'll keep you posted.