Homestead Happenings

New Additions

Our chicks came in the mail yesterday.    We had to go to the post office to get them.  It would not be very good for them to drive around in the mail truck all day.   Although we have raised chicks for about 5 years now this was our first mail order experience so I thought I would share it.

You are probably wondering what a package containing live chicks looks like.

We could here the chirping as soon as we walked into the post office.  I'll bet the workers were glad we showed up early.

As we took each one out of the box they were checked for injuries and over all health.  They were all very "chicky" and full of energy.  Once each is looked over I show it where the water dish is by dipping their beak in so they drink.  They are shipped with no water and are thirsty! 

See how nice and clean the paper and water are?  Not for long!

We had one injury.  My camera is not good for super close ups.  I should have taken a farther off shot and zoomed in with Photoshop.  Sorry.  Anyway, this little guy probably started out with a little cut.  By the time I got him the others had picked his toe down to the bone.  So he has to be put in solitary or the others will kill him.  Birds can be very cruel.  We cleaned his wound and applied some liquid band-aid to keep out infection.  He did not seem to appreciate our efforts and made his displeasure LOUDLY known.

See, he does not have it too bad.  We are going to pick up some strawberries today so we can put him in a basket with another one on top so he can stay warmer.  He does not like being by himself and lets me know....loudly....all the time.  I am glad they are on the porch. 

Aren't they cute?  Well don't think about that.  These are broilers.....as in meat birds.....as in they will be in my freezer in about 8 weeks.  These are Cornish Rocks and are bred to grow quickly.  They do not get names.  I don't spend time petting them like I will my laying chicks.  In just a couple of months I will be posting how we butchered these birds.  That is just the way it is.

Here you have the yucky side of bird keeping.  They did this fairly quickly.  I will be cleaning their box out about twice a day.  Notice the darker colored chicks?  My darling hubby picked those up at the feed store.  They are Arucanas.  These will be part of our laying flock.  We will name them, pet them and keep them nice and tame.  I have wanted this breed for a long time.  They are also known as Americanas or Easter Egg chickens.  They lay colored eggs, mostly blues and greens but sometimes pinks.  One chicken will not lay all colors but tones of one color.  I will be posting pics when they do.  He got 10 of these!  I would also like to get some Buff Orpingtons as they are supposed to lay through the winter.  Hope I can find some.  I don't want to mail-order them because I don't need 25 and that is the minimum order so they can keep warm in the box.

Gotta go.  My children, chicks and kids need attention.  This IS the life....and I am blessed to be living it!

Untitled Comment

{ 08:57, Friday, March 28, 2008 } { Posted by mommaofmany }

Oh my goodness! Those are so very cute!! Don't worry, we won't name ours either, and we won't "chicken out" and ditch you on butchering day. :) I envy you with your living of the life!

TTFN
Momma

Chicks

{ 09:06, Friday, March 28, 2008 } { Posted by EmBlem }

Those Chicks are so fluffy! I want to help on butchering day, like Kit did. Please tell her I said hi!
EmBlem

Untitled Comment

{ 09:18, Friday, March 28, 2008 } { Posted by southernbelle }

Loved the blog! I'm expecting another shipment of chicks today. Actually in a couple of hours!