My new babies are here! They arrived at the post office yesterday morning. I could hear their cheeping when I walked in the door.
We converted our old rabbit cage into a temporary nursery. The chicks won't be able to keep themselves warm until their feathers come in at about 2 weeks, so we have a heat lamp directed at one end of the cage.
Meet Egglantine. I ordered 10 female chicks, but received 11. She is the only little yellow fluffball, one of the only two chicks we can tell apart at this time. Her name is from a great book, The Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Capture.
This is Brunhilde. She is the largest chick by far. I think she's one of two Silver Laced Wyandottes 
This one is likely her sister, another Silver Laced Wyandotte.
This little beauty is a Rhode Island Red.
This is one of our "Easter Egg" chicks. She's an Americauna Standard and will lay pastel blue and green eggs.
This is one of two Black Australorps.
Okay, now I'm up to this one and I realize that I might be wrong about my breed identifications. I do know I ordered 2 Black Australorps, 4 Americauna Standards, 2 Silver Laced Wyandottes and 2 Rhode Island Reds.
Now that I have the chicks, I realize I probably didn't need to order more than 4 or maybe 6. We'll be rolling in eggs later this year if I can keep everyone alive and happy.
I've been wanting chickens for years and finally convinced Michael to let me get them. He's collected almost all the building materials needed for their coop for free and plans to start construction this weekend. While I wouldn't say he's enthusiastic, the girls and I really appreciate his willingness to help us out.
I guess he has good reason for his reluctance. He grew up on a chicken farm in north central Minnesota, gathering the eggs and shoveling the manure from more than 10,000 chickens. Whereas my childhood experience with chickens is confined to caring for my cousin's bantam flock for a week each summer while he went on vacation and holding and playing with the tamest of them.
Michael told his dad, now 84, that we were getting backyard chickens. He kept saying over and over "well, good luck." Hmm, do you think he might know something we don't know?
3 comments:
Oh, how cute!!!! They are so adorable!!! I think you I am going to be IN BIG TROUBLE!! I'll tell u why at another time. ;)
I have wanted chickens for a long time. We had three stray hens one summer when I was about ten. They stayed for a couple months, then they left.
Matt grew up on a farm, so I know we won't get. We'll just live vicariously through your experience. Best of luck with them! WHat a fun package to get in the mail!
I hoping you will have extra eggs to sell to me. You need to take updated picture and pictures of Michael terrific hen house inside and out.
Oh, need to invite me over and show me what to do with them.
dinve
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