Caring for Your New Chicks 101
Approximately ten days ago my boss ordered little baby chicks (from the web, of course) and I had been hastily awaiting their arrival ever since. So, this past Thursday my boss tells me that if the chicks arrive, I must care for them as he will not be home. Ok, I say with a smile, sure, I can do it! However... the instructions that followed were far from what I expected and include:
~ At 3pm, go to the Post Office and ask if packages have arrived
Question #1 why the hell am I going to the post office??? Oh, because baby chicks are delivered my mail. Yes, it is true. Boxes of live farm animals are apparently shipped far and wide each and every day. (I could barely contain my laughter).
~ Then, if they are finally in Cambridge, VT, stick them in the truck and drive back to the farm with the heat blasting up to 90 degrees.
~ Mix 5 gallons of sugar water to be used to stimulate the chicks and lay out organic poultry feed.
~ Bring the boxes o' chicks into the newly furnished chicken coop to await food and water, placing each box under the hanging hot lamps
~ Then, pick up one chick at a time from the chirpping boxes, holding them so their head sticks out from in between your thumb and forefinger.
~ Begin dunking each chick's head into warm sugar water, thus forcing them to drink and drink and drink in order to avoid drowning.
~ Place the said chick into on of the 6 card board bins, distributing them evenly so as to avoid overpopulating any of the bins... leading to pecking fights and possible injury or death among the occupants.
~ Repeat 219 times.
~ Remember to keep a close count on the number of casualties from their long and arduous journey.
~ Leave the hot lamps on and close the coop door to avoid freezing the chicks or allowing them to be eaten by 'critters'.
ok... so, after my boss left and I had the directions down to the best of my ability given my limited farming knowledge, it dawned on me: how do you pick up a chick??? I'd just have to wing it (haha... umm yeah).
Luckily the chicks were not at the post office this afternoon when i trekked there all by my lonesome, walking up to the desk and asking (trying not to wet my pants from laughter) if any chickens had come in from Iowa (or Missouri, whichever)... I wonder if they're air mailed or driven... Anyways, they came Friday morning (and were actually mailed out on Monday, poor tired poultry) in 2 boxes of 100 tightly packed living animals, one filled with black chicks, the other with white (actually known as Rhode Island reds) and one box of 20 'specialty mixed' chicks! YAY! I already have a favorite- a striped mutt of a chicken. Adorable! Soft and fluffy clucking chickies! well, at least until they grow up and become ugly and gross.
(note: these chickens are not for consumption (at least not yet). they will be raised for organic eggs- a surprisingly lucrative market)
Driving home from my unsuccessful journey to the post office, I was startled by one amazing sight- snow! Working in the foothills of Vermont's tallest peak certainly has its advantages. I could actually see snow falling on the mountain and the distinct line where the elevation was not high for snow the fall... I watched a snow storm lay beautiful flakes just a short distance away from where I stood. Easily one of the most breath-taking views I've seen since New Zealand.
Other recent adventures!
~ QC- Quebec City- oh la la, quelle heureusement- Le Chateau, night life, french-canadien songs and singers, giant expensive waterfalls, crepes, creme brulee, over-priced beer, vegetable soup, warm Canadienne sweatshirts, local art, and pretending to understand the language.
~ Camping- App Gap to the Lincoln Gap- cold, brutally frigid night- i've never been so cold for so long and never wish to ever be again. snowy and foggy, yet gorgeous days surrounded by nature.
~ At 3pm, go to the Post Office and ask if packages have arrived
Question #1 why the hell am I going to the post office??? Oh, because baby chicks are delivered my mail. Yes, it is true. Boxes of live farm animals are apparently shipped far and wide each and every day. (I could barely contain my laughter).
~ Then, if they are finally in Cambridge, VT, stick them in the truck and drive back to the farm with the heat blasting up to 90 degrees.
~ Mix 5 gallons of sugar water to be used to stimulate the chicks and lay out organic poultry feed.
~ Bring the boxes o' chicks into the newly furnished chicken coop to await food and water, placing each box under the hanging hot lamps
~ Then, pick up one chick at a time from the chirpping boxes, holding them so their head sticks out from in between your thumb and forefinger.
~ Begin dunking each chick's head into warm sugar water, thus forcing them to drink and drink and drink in order to avoid drowning.
~ Place the said chick into on of the 6 card board bins, distributing them evenly so as to avoid overpopulating any of the bins... leading to pecking fights and possible injury or death among the occupants.
~ Repeat 219 times.
~ Remember to keep a close count on the number of casualties from their long and arduous journey.
~ Leave the hot lamps on and close the coop door to avoid freezing the chicks or allowing them to be eaten by 'critters'.
ok... so, after my boss left and I had the directions down to the best of my ability given my limited farming knowledge, it dawned on me: how do you pick up a chick??? I'd just have to wing it (haha... umm yeah).
Luckily the chicks were not at the post office this afternoon when i trekked there all by my lonesome, walking up to the desk and asking (trying not to wet my pants from laughter) if any chickens had come in from Iowa (or Missouri, whichever)... I wonder if they're air mailed or driven... Anyways, they came Friday morning (and were actually mailed out on Monday, poor tired poultry) in 2 boxes of 100 tightly packed living animals, one filled with black chicks, the other with white (actually known as Rhode Island reds) and one box of 20 'specialty mixed' chicks! YAY! I already have a favorite- a striped mutt of a chicken. Adorable! Soft and fluffy clucking chickies! well, at least until they grow up and become ugly and gross.
(note: these chickens are not for consumption (at least not yet). they will be raised for organic eggs- a surprisingly lucrative market)
Driving home from my unsuccessful journey to the post office, I was startled by one amazing sight- snow! Working in the foothills of Vermont's tallest peak certainly has its advantages. I could actually see snow falling on the mountain and the distinct line where the elevation was not high for snow the fall... I watched a snow storm lay beautiful flakes just a short distance away from where I stood. Easily one of the most breath-taking views I've seen since New Zealand.
Other recent adventures!
~ QC- Quebec City- oh la la, quelle heureusement- Le Chateau, night life, french-canadien songs and singers, giant expensive waterfalls, crepes, creme brulee, over-priced beer, vegetable soup, warm Canadienne sweatshirts, local art, and pretending to understand the language.
~ Camping- App Gap to the Lincoln Gap- cold, brutally frigid night- i've never been so cold for so long and never wish to ever be again. snowy and foggy, yet gorgeous days surrounded by nature.