buckock
Songster
After crashing into chickens and geeking out on spreadsheets, egg counts, incubators, and even chick genetics, I broke down and ordered a Cackle Surprise Box. Actually, I ordered a mini surprise box for July and then availability for a large surprise box popped up for May 25th. I called Cackle and switched the order to the 25th. They even volunteered to put a note for no waterfowl in my mini box. Yay! Then I started thinking about the availability for a large box... and thought well maybe I should have just done that since we have a large brooder space and the chicks would be old enough to sex before a big poultry swap in the fall. But... by the time I thought it through the large boxes had sold out. So... I just ordered a second mini on the website. No waterfowl exclusion on this one.
As the date rapidly approached I lurked on Cackle's page and searched a hundred reviews and comments. On the 23rd, Cackle was short turkeys and all the surprise boxes had chicks. Would I get lucky? Would I get a duck (or two?) in the mini that I hadn't asked for no waterfowl. Would there be a turkey?
On the morning of the 25th, Cackle posted a photo of Swedish ducks... man how I now wished that I hadn't asked for no waterfowl in that 1st box! The night of the 25th I received 1 notice of shipping. What??? Refusing to panic, I waited until the morning and checked the USPS Informed Delivery. Two order numbers. Whew! The 26th was a waiting day as I scanned FB to see who may have received their box early and what treasures it held.
Voila! 8:04AM on the 27th, the post office called with the background music of very loud chirping. The 6-minute drive flew by and my two little boxes were passed through the back door to get nestled on the seat next to me. Was that a whistle? Was there a turkey inside?? Opening the top, I rapidly scanned - no DOA, hurrah! And two little Swedish ducklings! And... was that a poult? A blue poult? AND a white poult? I opened the second box and to my satisfaction, all were alive and well. Another blue poult AND another white poult!
Back home and everyone is in the brooder only I forgot to get a count. The hatchery promises 18 poultry per box so I figured 36 would be a good estimate. Two days later I was finally able to get a head count. 56 birds including 50 chicks, 4 heritage turkey (Royal Palm and Blue Slate), and 2 ducklings. With one swoop I doubled the number of lives on the farm. Stay tuned for some identifying, swapping, and lessons of discovery!
As the date rapidly approached I lurked on Cackle's page and searched a hundred reviews and comments. On the 23rd, Cackle was short turkeys and all the surprise boxes had chicks. Would I get lucky? Would I get a duck (or two?) in the mini that I hadn't asked for no waterfowl. Would there be a turkey?
On the morning of the 25th, Cackle posted a photo of Swedish ducks... man how I now wished that I hadn't asked for no waterfowl in that 1st box! The night of the 25th I received 1 notice of shipping. What??? Refusing to panic, I waited until the morning and checked the USPS Informed Delivery. Two order numbers. Whew! The 26th was a waiting day as I scanned FB to see who may have received their box early and what treasures it held.
Voila! 8:04AM on the 27th, the post office called with the background music of very loud chirping. The 6-minute drive flew by and my two little boxes were passed through the back door to get nestled on the seat next to me. Was that a whistle? Was there a turkey inside?? Opening the top, I rapidly scanned - no DOA, hurrah! And two little Swedish ducklings! And... was that a poult? A blue poult? AND a white poult? I opened the second box and to my satisfaction, all were alive and well. Another blue poult AND another white poult!
Back home and everyone is in the brooder only I forgot to get a count. The hatchery promises 18 poultry per box so I figured 36 would be a good estimate. Two days later I was finally able to get a head count. 56 birds including 50 chicks, 4 heritage turkey (Royal Palm and Blue Slate), and 2 ducklings. With one swoop I doubled the number of lives on the farm. Stay tuned for some identifying, swapping, and lessons of discovery!
. All very cute but will be better off finding a home elsewhere. Also (on a practical note) fewer little lives held in the hand of someone farm sitting.
