They're Here!

All right Jaime Lynn, this is for you!

 

At 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5th, Regina (backyard chicken co-conspirator) and I were at Country Max to accept the delivery of six two-day old Rhode Island Reds. Although we tried, we had no success in convincing the store clerk to sell us two additional chicks. Who knew there were actual rules about the minimum number of chicks one could purchase at a time?  The store clerk explained to us that if we had ordered eight, he could sell us eight; but because the original order was for six, he could only sell us 6 or 12; but not eight. Oh, right, that really cleared things up. :{  So, as much as I wanted a couple of barred Plymouth Rocks, I will need to be happy with my three RIRs. I'm thinking if these girls work out, we'll see about some Rocks next spring.

It was a pretty chilly and grey day here in Western NY and I was concerned about keeping the sweet little puff balls warm on the ride from the store to home. I blasted the heat in my dear old Eda, but I was pretty certain the chicks were not getting the 90 degrees they crave. Thankfully, they survived the 10-minute trip from the store to home and when I got home, Gary (husband) had the heat lamp going in the brooder, so I slipped them quickly inside.

For a brooder, I chose a design found on the Internet (thank you PoultryHelp.com). This particular idea of using a large clear plastic tub (e.g. Rubbermaid or Sterlite) was appealing to me because of the snap tight lid and solid sides. Since the babes will be living in the basement until they are big enough and feathered enough to move outdoors, I needed to ensure both their warmth (a 180 year old basement is damp and drafty) and their safety (Zoee, our cat, loves anything with tails or feathers!) This design addressed both of my concerns.

Once the girls were safe in their new home, I lifted each one in turn and gently dipped her beak into the water bowl. I read in several publications that this was important to help them learn where to drink. By evening's end, all three had drunk and eaten to my satisfaction. Watching them will become a delightful past time I'm sure, as already I can see they each have very distinct personalities.