A Funny Thing Happened

I feel like I should start at the beginning, but goodness, it would take so long to cover everything!  So I'll just give you some bits and pieces and string them together as time goes on.

Sooo...last March (can't believe it's almost been a year!), we bought a house with a few acres in the country.  That is a great big ongoing story, so stayed tuned.  And naturally, we HAD to get chickens because we've always, always wanted them.  The problem was, that by the time we were ready for them (remodeling, etc.), no one in the area had any.  We called all over the place, no one had any plans of chicks until later.  It was July, after all, and no one has baby chicks at the end of July.  We wanted six, but after checking with a couple of hatcheries, found you have to order a minimum of 25 (the number is necessary to stay warm in shipping).  Our neighbor was interested also, so 25 was doable, we could split with our neighbor.

We placed our order...Black Australorps, Silverlaced Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Plymouth Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, and Ameraucanas pullets (females).  Their hatch date was July 25, and they came in the mail the next day.  Twenty-five fluffy little pompoms in a snug little box.  With one extra chick.  Just in case.

We had a little wading pool with heat lamp and all the necessaries all ready for them in our office at home.  They were adorable and so fun to watch.  Natalie's birthday sleepover was the next night and she was sooo excited to show her friends.

Twenty-six chicks in a wading pool.  Heat lamp is on, just doesn't show up so much here.

The next day, party preparations began.  House cleaning, bed making, decorating...and then the post office called.

"Where would you like to pick up your chicks, at the hub or Joyce post office?" the man asked.

"Um, I think there's some confusion, we picked them up yesterday", I replied, as I hurriedly scampered around trying to usher mess to the correct rooms.

Again, "Where would you like to pick up your chicks TODAY, at the hub or Joyce post office?" the man asked.

"Wait, what?"  I ask this as the sound of baby chicks drifts through the phone.  "I can't send them back, they will die"  the man says, "What do you want me to do with your chicks?"

"We'll be right there!"  And off to the hub we went to pick up another small box of 25 tiny peeping pompoms.  With one extra chick.  Just in case.

THIS is what 52 chicks in a wading pool looks like

Needless to say, it was the BEST slumber birthday party EVER, even though our guests arrived and we were still vacuuming and finishing the kitchen!  And guess what Tractor Supply had in stock the next week...yep, chicks!

We gave all but 36 away, and 36 compared to 52 seemed like a much more reasonable number.  We are down to 34, losing one chick to an accident and a full grown favorite to a raccoon.  Most started laying eggs in January and we are getting about 18 eggs a day.  Oh, and remember how we ordered all females?  Seven of ours turned out to be roosters!  More to come!