If you’ve ever wondered what a box of live chicks looks like, here it is. The P.O. called early Wednesday morning (they ship out on Monday) to say the chicks had arrived. I went over directly and brought them home.
I opened the box and there they were, 8 chicks huddled in a wad, stereotypically cute and fluffy and chirpy.
3 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orpingtons, and 2 Easter Eggers.
They are doing fine, eating and drinking and hopping around. Just like chickens.
I put a few bugs in there and the chicks immediately knew what to do with them. Woe betide any bugs now inhabiting the future hen run. Their days are numbered.
I’ll be sure to keep you posted on the new flock.
TL
Cuties!
Is there any reason you chose those particular breeds?
Where did you buy them from?Many places want you to order at least 25 which is way more than I need.Like you 8-10 would be great!
Hi LaVonne–I got them from My Pet Chicken. I believe you can order as few as 3 from there depending on how fast they can ship them to you.
Corinne–I wanted good layers who were known to be sociable breeds and these fit that description. I also ran a little poll on the site and most people found these breeds to be good ones. There are a lot of great chicken breeds, though. It is tough to pick from all of them!
Hee, hee, hee! I always loved the strange looks I’d get walking out of the post office with a box that chirped (chicks) or wittered (ducklings). Best of luck with your lovely babies!
I am SO jealous. I hope they do well for you!
We’ve had “backyard” chickens for a couple of years now, and my experience has been that the australorps are very good layers and pretty personable. Our most personable chickens were the Araucunas, but they aren’t has hardly, which, considering we’re in Maine is a pretty big deal, and they didn’t lay as well. Our white leghorn is the oldest hen we have, and at three years, she’s still a pretty regular layer. We’ve had pretty good luck with Rhode Island Red, Buff Orpington, and Barred Rocks, but our favorite (other than the Araucuna, because of the green eggs 😉 is our Light Brahma, which is a very large, very hardy, dual purpose breed and a great egg layer … and she has fuzzy feet, which just looks cool :).
Congrats on your new chickens! Just be warned, however, that once you’re in, it just multiplies. We, currently, have six laying hens, four pullets in the brooder, two dozen meat birds, and four ducks ;). We get all of our birds from a local feed store that orders them in bulk, and we can get as many as we wish from two to …, and whatever breed we want.
Just one point, your readers should know that if they intend to get any backyard poultry, they should always have more than one. Three is a good number to start for a backyard flock, but six will give a family of five all the eggs they need.
Congratulations! There’s nothing like the feeling of welcoming the new babies home — and savoring the thought of all those EGGS coming!
We are on our 3rd batch of chickens. We’ve lost some to a local dog, and some to overheating, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. When that little box came in the mail, it was just amazing. Our oldest hens are due to start laying in about 6 weeks and I’m so excited! They all seem to have their own personalities too. What a fun hobby! I couldn’t imagine going back to just a dog or cat. We have 2 goats as well that are our chicken herders, and the dog herds the goats. Who knew life could be so rich with a few extra animals around? Congratulations! And I’ll second Wendy’s comment that it only multiplies! We’re down 7 chickens from the latest incident, and it just seems empty, even though we have 28! Enjoy those bundles of fluff! In a couple of weeks they’ll be ugly molting flighty birds, but will still hold your heart!
Awww, so cute! I’ve been wanting chickies for a while, but we have plans to move. Good luck and have fun with the new babies!
If you hold them a lot and talk to them, they will be very friendly later on. I have a couple that even come when I call their names. Buffs are pretty docile and tend to get picked on by the others – watch for that. I had a pair of buffs, and some rhode islands. One of the buffs got killed by a hawk and the other now has to fend for herself. Boy do they pick on her. She gets special treats from me to make up for it.
Oh they are soo CUTE !! They remind me of mine when we got our 5 babies back in March. Mine should start laying next month. My best, and most important piece of advice , for any one getting baby chicks : Build your COOP NOW. Build it before you get your chicks if you can. These cute fur balls turn into whopper birds in just about two months! Then they are too big for your brooder box. They need a weather proof coop and some yard or penned area to run around in. Build it now and they will grow!! We didn’t know this and got into a real doozy of a tizzie trying to build a coop with very little evening time and almost always a rainy weekend. I made a coop out of our old bunk bed frame. I have pictures on facebook and can post some if ya wanna see them. Anyway, BUILD THAT COOP and enjoy these chicks!! I want more… and I want my goats….
JavaLady–Thank you! And excellent advice! I lucked out and already have a shed I could easily convert. It’s the attached hen run that’s taken all the effort. Almost finished, thankfully. I’d love to see your pictures of the bunk bed coop.
Kathy M–Sorry about the hawk. Awful. I bet that is one spoiled buff! They seem like real sweeties.
Kristin–Thank you so much! Maybe your new place will have the perfect chicken spot!
Hi Lindsay–We are enjoying them! I know you can’t wait for the first eggs. I remember the flavor of fresh eggs from childhood and I want to see if they taste like I remember. 28! Wow!
June–How right you are!
Wendy–Thank you, and thanks for the advice. Chickens and goats, too, apparently, like another of their kind around. I’m sure you’re right about the multiplying–they are addictive!
Emily–Aw, can you have some someday? Thanks for the good wishes! I appreciate it.
ranch101–I was wondering about the reaction I’d get, but I don’t think anyone noticed and the personnel at the PO were very professional. They must see some strange things . . .
Hooray for chicks! Best of luck with your new girls!!
So cute! I am really jealous.
Only 1 picture of the chicks?
Jillann–More next week!
Thanks, Beegirl! I love your photography, by the way!
(fingers in ears) La la la la la la la la la la la. I’m not su0pposed to buy chickens until after we move to the country. But I want them nowwwwwwwwwwww!
Jenny, you’re a hoot! I know! The siren
songcheep is hard to resist!Does anyone have experience with chickens & dogs? I have a Lab-mix who’s great with my two cats, but she loves to chase crows and any other foolish song bird that gets close enough, so I wonder what she’d do if she saw a chicken? I doubt if full Labs would have a problem if introduced early enough, since they have such soft mouths and a predilection to retrieve rather than kill (one of mine once brought me a warbler that had fallen from its next, and the bird was soggy but uninjured). My Molly is 6 years old, though. I wonder if I could trust her?
Portia–I made a search on chickens and dogs and turned up lots of links I think may answer your question including this one:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2193909_introduce-dog-pet-chickens.html
It sounds like your dog is a sweetie and would be easy to train to be good with them.