Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Proof Positive that Spring has Sprung on the Farm

The phone rang at 6:45 this morning and I was greeted by our postmaster informing me that my chicks were waiting for me at the post office.

This is an exciting day here on the farm.  Since it is List it Tuesday, I will take you through the process, step by step.  I hope you enjoy sharing our morning.

Frank and I throw on our sweats.  I head out to the post office.  Frank heads out to the barn for the pool that will be our chicks temporary home.  The pool is readied and placed in the garage.

Our chicks arrive in a box.
They are one day old and have never met their mother.

They are introduced to their new home, one at a time.

As I place each chick into it's new home, I dunk it's beak into the water.
They immediately start drinking and after a moment will find their food.


Before long, they are all settled into their new home.
They will only remain in this home for a couple of weeks.
As they grow, we will move them into a bigger pool, still in the garage.
Eventually they will move out to a coop in the yard but not until they grow feathers.


Aren't they cute.
The chicks of different colors are my new laying hens.
They will remain cute.
The yellow chicks are my meat chickens.
They will be cute for the first week or two and then they get homely.
Before long, those meat chickens will just be eating and pooping machines.

The next step is to introduce Fiona to the chicks.
This is her first batch of chicks, so she needs to be taught early.
This is the first, of many training sessions letting her know that the chicks
 are not to be harassed or eaten.

She is not sure what to make of them.
She backed up and barked and then went and hid.
She finally decided to come and see what it was when Frank held one of them.


Okay, I guess that little chick is not going to hurt me after all!

I'll even move in a little closer!!

I will continue to occasionally document the life of my chicks.  The meat chickens will take about 7-8 weeks before they are ready to go to slaughter.  The laying hens, will be given another month or two after that in their own coop and pen before being introduced to the rest of the flock.

I am sharing this post with Wednesday Whatsits. Stop by to see what else people were up to this week.

8 comments:

  1. So cute! Thanks for sharing, very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Sharon. Hope you are able to make it over and meet them in person next weekend.

      Delete
  2. Thanks for sharing this Wendy. Very interesting indeed. Not sure my grands would ever eat chicken again if we raised them ourselves....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you had homegrown chicken you would never want any other. Store bought chicken doesn't even taste like chicken. I never realized it until I grew my own but yes, it is hard for a city kid to think about playing with an animal one day and eating it the next.

      Delete
  3. They are so cute! I will share the pictures with my students. I will even talk about them being meat chickens. I don't think kids in my age group even realize they one day they may be eating these cute cuddly chicks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would think in your neck of the woods that at least some of the kids live on a farm.

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. You will be seeing them in person soon. Would that be in chickson???

      Delete

I enjoy getting comments and feedback from my audience. Please let me know what you think, keeping in mind that we are all entitled to our own beliefs and opinions. I am happy to hear yours as long as they are stated nicely.