Around 7:00 antemeridiem yesterday Dad received the familiar call from the Post Office – our chicks had arrived!
He dropped Rachel and I off briefly at the back door of the Post Office, where we had been instructed by the workers to "ring the buzzer" to pick up the livestock delivery. After I was handed the small box, I opened one of the flaps to see 26 little black and silver chicks alive and well and chirping madly.
Rachel helped me get them set up in the brooder. Dad fetched Abigail and Mary – who would’ve wanted to come along to the Post Office with us if they had awakened quickly enough. I already had the brooder warm (I turned the heater on two days beforehand to get it ready).
I mixed a little packet of powder called "Grow Gel Plus B" and mixed it with 1/2 cup of water. I read that the tiny amount of powder would transform into a nutritious green gel that could nourish 100 chicks. I had a hard time believing that, but nevertheless, it proved to be accurate. That was their little gatorade sort of boost after the trip. The McMurray Hatchery shipping box said that the chicks hatched on February 18, 2007 at 3:11:35 A.M. Quite precise, isn’t it?
Chicks were amazingly designed to thrive for three days on the yoke which they suck in before they hatch out of the egg. That’s quite convenient for farmers that order chicks!
We are feeding them Organic Chick Starter, and adding a little QuikChik to their water. I’ve been studying up on natural feeding methods for chicks, including giving them garlic, slippery elm, chickweed, oats, raw milk (if only we had goats or a cow – people used to feed chickens left over skim milk all the time) or perhaps even a little cod liver oil if any show signs of weakness. So far, however, the chicks all look vibrant and healthy.
(I eventually moved the feed trough to the side next to that cabinet you see in the photo – the chicks are more comfortable eating right under the lamps and heater)
They are all dark colored chicks, as they are Dominiques. We’re still a little uncertain about which one is the exotic chick. There is one chick that has gold markings around its eyes that somewhat resemble Egyptian eye makeup, along with a lot of yellow on its belly (I’ll have to take a picture of it). Otherwise it looks like the others, so we’ll have to work on that awhile…
I filmed the below video by placing the camera inside the brooder…a curious chick pecked at the lense…haha
Who can resist cuddling a chick? The rest of the Read children had a splendid time.
Our eight Red Star hens surprised us this morning by laying eight, large brown eggs and not eating them! We were on the verge of thinking that they were good for nothing spent hens when they mysteriously went on strike this winter. Perhaps they heard the chirping of their successors and became anxious…
(Beautiful Dominiques – what our new chicks will look like when they are grown)
The weather is very pleasant at the moment – warm, sunny and breezy, drying the land after the thunderstorm we had last night. David was not feeling well Saturday evening. He had a fever, a rash and complained of a sore neck. Since those can be symptoms of meningitis, Mom and Dad quickly took him to the hospital. It was emotionally traumatic for everyone, but the doctor confirmed that he did not have meningitis, as his neck was not stiff or paralyzed in anyway.
He apparently had only some odd virus, and Mom thinks that yeast might have been a contributing factor (he got thrush one time when he was an infant – it sometimes takes your body awhile to be cleansed of that). Mom has been buying yogurt and other probiotics. We have a yogurt maker too – we might try making our own again sometime.
~~~
Thus, all said and done, everything is well at the moment, thank the LORD.
MAY GOD BLESS,
~Amanda~
Comments
Friday, February 23, 2007 – Wow.
Posted by LadyJaneGrey
Chicks are so precious, are they not? I would love to have chickens here, but alas! We currently live a suburb where chickens would be viewed as obtrusive, nasty little pecking things.
Thank you ever so much for commenting on my blog. 🙂 I look forward to reading more on your’s.
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Sunday, February 25, 2007 – a note from Rose
Posted by Rose
Hello,
Thank you for the comment
Love to hear from you,
~Rose~
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Monday, February 26, 2007 – Oh…
Posted by Jocelyndixon
neato!! How fun! I bet you’re busy! We’ve been busy too. Horses, goats and kids!! OI!
My goat had her kids… stop by!
sincerely,
Jocelyn
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Monday, February 26, 2007 – Hello!!!
Posted by Jocelyndixon
WOW! Writing for the Novak’s, huh?? I am good friends with Eric and he asked me if I wanted to write something up about ragcurls to put in their beuaty section. Still working on that.
I am very excited for you! You are a great and inspirational writer! I realy like you, as a writer and as a friend.
I hope you get far in writing, if that is what you want.
As for the mag I was asked to write for… the lady in charge is moving so everyone is on hold. So I haven’t done anything yet!!
I’m so glad you stopped by!!
Love your friend,
Jocelyn