Well, right on schedule as promised - - - my baby chicks arrived at 6:00 am this morning from Cackle Hatchery. :) All 26 arrived safe and sound, and seem to be eating and drinking like little pigs! I can't wait to watch them grow and hatch their own little ones in a few months.
Belinda
Another pic after I got them all settled in to their new brooder.
Ohhhh, my my my! Im trying soooo hard to be good this year and not order any more babies! I want My Mommies to hatch their own! ...But when I see everyones new Chicks I get the urge to order even more!!!!!
So TGM , What Cha Got??? they are sooo cute, and whats with the special marks of color on some of them?
Oh, I just love little fluffies! I'm trying hard not to overdo it with the incubator this year, too.
I just ordered mine the day before yesterday, but I won't get mine until June. They were sold out until then. :-(
I started off the year with this little bundle of:
5-Aracauna
5-Salmon Faverolle
5-Dominique
5-White Wyandotte
5-Golden Laced Wyandotte
And aren't they SO cute???????? I just love them! The different colored dots on their little heads help me keep them sorted by variety as they grow up and not mix anyone up! Now if my eggs hatch that are in the bator, I'll have several more Salmon Faverolles; Cuckoo Marans; Welsummers; Bourbon Red Turkeys and an assortment of bantams! Whew........the coops will be full again!
QueenB, where did you order from that they are already out?
Oh I am MAD with jealousy! I can't wait to order mine! I am going to order from Meyer Hatchery, since they do smaller shipments. I would really love to see pix of the Marans, Faverolles and the Welsummers. I'm thinking about ordering those as well.
I LOVE chicks! Aren't they just a miracle?I love how every time you leave, it seems like they grow a feather before you get back! It happens so quickly. amazing. please keep putting up pix!
congrats to a new momma!
Mine got here today also. 4 Barred Rock pullets. They are quite dizzy. They were stuck in a truck in Iowa for 5 days. Hope they make it. Poor babies!
BackyardHens, thanks SO much and yes, they are definitely a miracle. I love spending time with them and can't wait for them to grow. I am absolutely AMAZED at how strong they are even after 24 hours of good food and water! :) They are peeping around, already establishing their little pecking order! I hope to be able to post pics of the Marans, Welsummers & Faverolles...........all due to hatch within 14-16 days. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Oh Soferdig - - - they are darling!!!!!!!!!!! :-) I'm sure after some good TLC from their new momma, they will be just dandy. Thanks for sharing the pic with me.........I am in love with these little ones! Can I ask how you were able to order just a few? I would love to add a few select rare breeds, but I didn't want to order 25 more! lol Thanks. Let me know how your babies are doing!
Belinda
They're adorable. You all are going to make me place an impulse order.
Rooting for a couple of these hens to go broody...
I don't know how anyone could resist this little cutie pies. And they are SO sweet! Zeppy, I have sent your hens a little positive boost of energy to help them go broody.........soon, or else they will be inundated with new feathered friends! lol
Here are my little ones today..........I've got one that doesn't want to eat. She will drink with some urging, but doesn't seem to have an appetite at all. :( I strongly dislike to see little ones fall weak in their pack; they always get treated terribly after that if they make it! Anyone have any ideas to help my little weak one out? She looks so sad ~ breaks my heart!
Belinda
Ohhhhhh cute! It made me want to have more chickens!! I only have 2 hens.. that are 1 years old this month! Missing have many around..
I can't imagine not having little ones around all the time - - - - once the weather warms up each year, I am anxious to add to my flock! :-) MiniSchnuz, I'm sure your two hens are spoiled rotten!
Belinda
SPring is always the best time for chickens! I love chicks so much.
I would maybe try to separate the weak chick with some wire or glass, so they can see each other, but not get to each other, while she gains strength. Did you check for pastybutt? ( that is when there is a little plug of poop stuck on the vent, it can kill them) you probably already knew that, but hey.
I find that they can reintegrate, once they are strong again. I have integrated chicks and hens several times. She'll always be lower on the pecking order, probably, but that's how it goes!
TGM ~ have you checked out Mayer Hatchery? They have a variety of chicks and say they'll ship fewer than 25. that is where I am going to get mine. I can't WAIT for spring here!
BackyardHens, thanks for the weak chick info, I find its always better to ask others rather than assume I can figure it out.........she did have pastybutt this morning when I checked and hopefully she will begin to slowly get stronger. Right now I have her seperated in the "sickly area" of the brooder, so the others don't walk all over her while she is weakly. Maybe I can reintegrate her soon, who knows she may grow up to be the fearless leader! LOL
I have not checked out that hatchery, but I about to. Sounds like a good possibility. DH says that is JUST what we need............a few more chicks. LOLOLOLOL After all these years, you think he would give up complaining about all the animals. lol Will let you know what I get into...........maybe more chicks on the way! Wooo Hooo!
Backyardhens thanks for the name.. I checked it out and great website! Added to my favorite along others.
We have several sources here in Kalispell. Most people get them from the feed and ranch store. We don't get the big selection of breeds but we have chicks available from March1st until May 1st. Bunnies, and Turkeys too. Texas Garden Mom cuties. You have to put some wax worms in with the babies. It is better than "Road Runner" cartoons. Meep Meep. They chase and fight and pull and tug and have a ball with each one you put in with them.
That is a MUST have for my new babies...........I can just see it now! LOLOLOLOL Darling. I'll have to track out to DH's tackle box and grab a few! Thanks for sharing with me. :-)
What's a wax worm?
Dairus its fishing bait, go your sporting goods store to buy, I plan on just going to my worm bin and give them some red wrigglers, when I FINALLY get mine....... See one more reason to vermicompost. I love this site.
Steve your description brought a lot of smiles to alot of faces..........
Nadine
I wish that I could video-thread this to you guys.............it is the most precious thing I have ever seen and absolutely HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! They see that worm wriggle in my hand and they are "off" to the races......digging in to see who can get there first - - - and then SNAP, the chase is on...........round, and round, and round they go........in a game of cat and mouse.........too funny to watch. I wish I could share. It does remind me of the road runner and beep-beep is right! LOLOLOLOLOLOL
I so have loved each wax worm too. I have fallen in love with the personalities of each one already. I know who will lead and who will follow just watching the worm desire. LOL Greed can be a good thing when it provides so much joy to those who can watch. They are sleeping longer now and are getting quite cuddly when I pick them up. No chirping after a few seconds under my shirt. Next is popcorn with them while watching movies tonight. My poor dog is soooooo confused but has behaved well.
I found that when I raise chickens in the house from chicks, my dog just accepts them as one more crazy part of living with this crazy pack!
How do you get baby chicks in quantities of about 4. I can't mailorder 26 chicks because I do not have a need for them and nor do I have enough room. But 4 might be a good number. I gather you can order them right now. When do they sell them in farm stores? I expect you can buy small quantities from farm stores.
You can order small quantities from the feed stores. You should ask around, here people are putting in orders for APril and May delivery. Meyer Hatchery is where I am going to get mine from, they will let you order less than 25. Check them out. www.meyerhatchery.com or try local :) You will have to see how many is the minimum for the hatchery and for the feed stores. good luck.
SO glad to report that ALL my baby chicks are doing super well and growing like little weeds! My goodness, how fast they grow. :) They are cuter now than when I first got them. I get so tickled at my little tiny toy poodles, my oldest one, Gracee has gotten to be the little mother hen ~ I wish all of you could watch and giggle with me! My house is always a zoo - - - Spring just tends to be a bit crazier time than others. :-)
Also, pajaritomt; you might check www.mypetchicken.com for just ordering a few chicks. I found them online and emailed asking lots of questions. Seems as though they can safely ship as few as three chicks, the down side of that is that you pay a one-time fee of 25.00 + shipping, which can be rather costly. I would check your local feed stores, TSC, places like that first. Good luck!
Hey did your Turkeys Hatch Yet ? on wax worms you can buy theam on line cheap by the 100s just keep in a closed con. with bran and a half of potoe paul
Not yet, Paul. They don't hatch until the 19th. Got a while to go yet.............very impatiently waiting. I have candled them, and they are all fertile - so wooooo hooooo for that!
Where did you find your wax worms so cheap at? Google gives me a zillion options to sort through - - - why keep them with bran and half of a potatoe? Curious minds need to know! lol (jk) Really, why?
they eat and breed in the brand ill find you a good site
http://www.fiddlecreekfarms.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idcategory=95&curPage=2&sortField=description there you go i use to breed African Grays and Macaws they love the wax worms when they are breeding and feeding young Paul
meal Worms are good to
Thanks for the site my chicks will love these. How do they taste maybe I could make a salad and sprinkle them on top. LOL
My son's bearded dragon loves wax worms, but I've never offered any to my Grey. Will have to check it out. And will definitely remember it for the chicks!!!!
~Julie =0)
Super. Thanks a mil Paul - - - will have to order some today. Any luck finding some turkey eggs yet???
that Girl you got yours from will be at the plant swap this Mnth ill talk to her
Good choice. All of the ones she sent me are fertile and growing - - - I have been super pleased! I just finished placing my order for wax worms from that source you sent. Got a good source for earthworms?
Thanks Paul - - - so sorry for the delay in responding.................I've been busy outside painting while the weather was so nice ~ but YUCK I strongly dislike painting. :( It sure does improve the looks of things around here!
