Saturday, September 12, 2015

They're Heeeeeeerrrrre!

Finally.  After waiting on the edge of my not-so-comfortable computer chair and refreshing the USPS Tracking screen every thirty-five seconds, the chicks have arrived!

Granted, it took two days for them to travel the 117 miles from the hatchery to my local post office.  Last year they got here in less than 24 hours after being shoved into their little cardboard box, but for whatever reason, this year the chicks traveled from one post office to another then to another....then to our post office.....for a total of just over 600 miles.  And you wonder why the post office is going broke.  But what do I know about the logistics of sending millions of pieces of mail cross-country.  Nothing.  But still.  I'm just glad that they didn't end up going all the way to LaGuardia before getting to their final destination.

Since I've swapped roles with Paul (me now being the nine-to-fiver and he being the farm grunt), he and Rhiannon picked up the chicks at the post office.  This is the first time I have not been there for the chick-picking-up.  I actually felt a bit left out.  But the feeling went away when I got home and all the chicks were alive and already in their pen, peeping and pecking and pooping as baby chicks are wont to do.  Rhiannon is, at this exact moment, out there playing Momma to her "chickies".  I can attest to the hardiness of the chicks as she picks them up and puts them down and pets them and kisses them no fewer than a hundred times.

I ordered twenty-five Cornish Cross Creepy Meats, ten Barred Rocks and ten Black Sex Links.  I swore I ordered all MALE Creepy Meats, but the invoice said unsexed.  Which is disappointing, regardless of who made the mistake (probably me) because the males do get much larger.  And we do love a big o'l roasting bird.  I guess we'll just keep the females around longer until they're more Yummy-Sized.

The temperatures, of course, have dropped since the chicks arrived and we're having to run two heat lamps in the pen.   Last night we got down to 60 degrees, but tonight we're dipping down to 48 degrees.  I may have to put them in the garage.

Although it may be a bit cool for the chicks, the humans and goat are really enjoying this Fall'ish weather.  It's nice not to sweat yourself out of a t-shirt three times a day.  And having a hot cup of tea doesn't seem so strange now.

6 comments:

  1. Ha! Doesn't seem quite right but your night time temps (48 degrees) are within a few degrees of ours up here in Siberia!

    It's not everyone who can start chicks at this time of year. If we did that, we'd have to keep them in our bedroom until they were full grown. Oh, I can just imagine the aroma of the house by then!

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  2. Nothing says excitement like a big ol box o'chicks!

    Right now we are at 38 degrees. I think the tomatoes aren't happy!

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  3. When I went to lock up my hens last night, they were all inside huddling as if the winter winds arrived. Kind of funny. It dipped into a cool night last night here too. Strange that it changed so quickly from 90°F days.

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  4. The farm supply store here (outside of St Louis) was offering chicks for sale here but not a lot of so they dropped the price to $1 each. I think it was Orschelen in Pacific MO. I would get more if I had a barn to keep them in but too difficult to keep the chicks separate right now as its getting cooler.

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  5. If I had more ambition, I would just drive up to Lebanon and get Cornish Cross now. I don't want to butcher them but there used to be a place near Aurora that does that and you pick them up frozen.

    Good luck with yours.

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  6. I would get more if I had a barn to keep them in but too difficult to keep the chicks separate right now as its getting cooler.


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