More chickies!!! :D

[cindyanne1]

I received my first of two mail-order chick shipments today! In this order, I have three barred Rocks, three Rhode Island Reds, and the hatchery also put in two "packing peanuts" (extra chicks) that I believe are Red Star roosters.

Comments

[meetme2theriver]

Eeee. :D They're so cute! I love the little black ones.

...How exactly do you send newborn chicks in the mail?

[cindyanne1]

The black ones are my favorite too!! :D

OMG they were packed SO well. I was wondering about the being sent through the mail part myself, but I guess it's really common. Just hatched chicks don't have to eat for a few days (still feeding off the yolk sac that is in their abdomen) so the main thing is to make sure they are kept warm. This hatchery (MyPetChicken.com) stuffed the shipping box with this really soft, nice bedding and also put one of those disposable hand-warmer type things in there to keep them warm.

Come to think of it, that's how the feed store gets their chicks, too. They get sent through the mail, lol!

[jester]

I LOVE THEM!

[cindyanne1]

They are adorable, aren't they? It is so hard to limit myself because I know I have the space for a lot, especially once Brian builds the new chicken house. But I'm stopping at 25... I swear! :D

[pixelcurious]

OMG so cute!!! I'm glad you explained about the not having to eat thing (in your comment answer above) because I was about to ask.

Adorable!

[cindyanne1]

Yes I totally didn't know they didn't have to eat until I read it on one of the mail-order hatcheries. It makes it nice, because that way a person can get exactly what breeds they want and not have to rely on what's available locally. Shipping costs are a bear though. D: It's why I added a few roosters to my next order... I want to be able to have my own babies to expand my flock as my older layers die off, lol!

[forestpixie]

Look at all the fluffy cuteness galore!

I'm baffled about the idea of sending roosters as packing peanuts. I'm wondering if I misunderstand, or they're really just disposable birds? Because not everyone wants roosters, and then they'd have to some how get rid of the boy chicks? (boy chicks--teeheeeee)

[cindyanne1]

I just love the fluffy chickies!! :D

Yes, sadly, a lot of people think of roosters as being either disposable or for eating. It's mostly because it's hard to keep more than a few roosters around on the same farm unless they are separated because they will fight. Hatcheries usually have a surplus of roosters, since most people order females... and the choice for the hatchery is to sneak them into people's orders or destroy them. :(

I had already ordered an Australorp rooster in my June order, so I'm not sure what we're going to do with these two peanuts. Brian says we'll probably set up a little area for them in the horse pasture... there's an old corn crib that is filled with straw they can roost in and would be more than adequate for the winter, and they could free range over the horse's 3 acres. It should be a happy life for them, even if they don't get to breed with the ladies much, lol!

[forestpixie]

Thanks for taking the time to explain :)

[simsforaranya]

SO FLUFFY!!!! I always want to pick up chicks and cuddle them...but then I'm scared that they'll get so scared they'll die. >.>

[cindyanne1]

Awww... no they wouldn't die unless you squeezed them. :P When they're that little they just sit on the palm of your hand and let you pet them. So cute!! :D