July 18th "Due Date"! Anyone else?

[GardenState38]

It seems that there are several of us who are expecting our orders of day-old chicks next week.
This might be a good thread for us to keep track of our chicks, post pictures and compare their progress.
I ordered mine from My Pet Chicken. My very first attempt at raising hens in my small suburban yard, I ordered 5 chicks: 3 French hens

A Salmon Faverolle, Black Copper Marans and a Cuckoo Marans, as well as a Golden Laced Wyandotte and an EE bantam.
(I hope they'll all get along!)

I'm busily preparing my garage (a good excuse to finally clean it out, junk deposit that it had become!) and readying the brooder (I'm using a large pet crate with a removable top, and I have a Brinsea EcoGlow and a red heat lamp on standby).
I feel like an expectant mother! I've wanted hens for several years, and it's finally time to do it!
I even took 2 weeks off to devote to their first weeks of care.

This site and the many books I've read have been such fonts of information that I feel very well-prepared, but at times it can be scary to read about so many things that can go wrong.
But like the Boy Scout motto, I say, "Be Prepared!" I think I'm ready for any eventuality, and have stocked up on Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Electrolytes, PolyViSol Greek yogurt, Sulmet, VetRx, chick grit, Blu-Kote, meal worms (to buy their love and affection)...LOL the list goes on!
I was really worried about temperatures and humidity being too high while they were in transit and during their first week here, but it looks like the temps have lowered a bit and the humidity has decreased.

Only a matter of days, now! So excited!

 

[crazygoatlady915]

Yay!!! Congrats!!! I know the feeling! I have 5 BPR/RIR cross in the 'bator! HOPEFULLY hatching next wednesday! I hope they are like 'calico' chickens when they grow up!

 

[tiny529]

Congrats! They are a lot of fun! My gals are 3 weeks old now and I got them from MyPetChicken too. Enjoy 'em while they are young! They grow up so fast!

 

[lroth217]

I also have chicks being shipped out from My Pet Chicken on July 18

and here is what I ordered:

All hens: 1 Barred Rock, 2 Buff Orps, 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte, 1 Polish (don’t know exact kind “cuz I opted for a “surprise” variety) 2 RIRs, 1 Silver Spangled Hamburg, and last but not least 1 White Leghorn.

I chose a few unusual birds for fun, a few excellent layers since this was supposed to be all about the EGGS (lol) and the Orpingtons for cuddling.

Please post again when yours arrive and I will do the same!!!

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Me!!!! Me!!!! I have 33 chicks coming from Meyer Hatchery on the 18th. The weather next week is supposed to be cooler than the heatwave we have been going through, so I am not as worried as I was.

11 barred rocks (SR)
5 buff orpingtons (SR)
5 speckled sussex (SR)
12 Cornish cross (roos)

I am homesteading, so I am sticking with heritage chickens and am working towards having an "all natural" flock next year with broody hens producing and raising the chicks. I already have six black australorps that I raised this spring that should be laying any day now. The weather was terrible when I was raising the BAs, so I am looking forward to raising this batch in nice weather.

 

[crazygoatlady915]

Yaay! this is so exciting! I love babies! Do you guys really like mypetchicken? I don;t think hatching is for me, and I will need a new batch next year! I got my 5 BPR's and RIR's from Cackle, and I was very pleased at the results, 10 of 'em had to come cross country in early March, and they all came happy, and healthy!

 

[erinangele]

Congrats! It is so exciting! I am a first-timer as well. My order from MPC arrived at 6am yesterday

1 Delaware, 1 Rhode Island Red, 1 Speckled Sussex, and 1 Easter Egger. They all went straight for the food and water once i placed them in their brooder. My Delaware was off to a slow start, but after some electrolytes she seems to be OK now. Like you, i did a bunch of research and felt very prepared, but also nervous knowing all the things that *could* go wrong. I feel like a first-time Mom all over again!

 

[cmom]

 

[lroth217]

Truly I believe I am ready for mine to come, all necessary supplies, read, researched, studied, and yes, read posts on the forums, but I am so nervous about them getting here okay, (we are having our heat wave next week) that my stomach is in such a knot that I have to take an antispasmodic for my stomach to keep from having a lot of pain!! Seems so ridiculous because these are chickens after all!

<<<did I say that out loud>>>>

I had some serious (not to mention absurd) stress over what I should put in their water feeder the first couple days; water alone, water with sugar, or water with something like Sav a chick or Quik Chik. There doesn't really seem to be any general agreement on the forums, not even how much sugar to put into a quart of water. But I will give them Quik Chik the first couple days and then just regular water and every now and then I will add Sav a chick like once a week or whatever. I am skipping the sugar idea for now, too many "wise hens" on BYC forums saying skip it because too much can do damage and even a little may contribute to pasty butt, so for now - no sugar water for my babies, at least is my plan today.

I would love to know what everyone's thoughts are on initial water additives.

I got mine vaccinated and I will be using medicated feed. Lots of disparity on that issue too!!

One thing though is I really did some reading in the Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures topics (Scary!!!!) and I have quite an extensive first aid kit so although I pray nothing bad happens, I am ready!!!

Seriously, so excited about them coming and I feel like this is probably the only place I can admit just how much I am looking forward to them getting here

Baby fuzzy butts!!

 

[Gerry2011]

They're coming, they're coming!!!

They are hatching the 20th, so am expecting them either the 20th or 21st. Actually I'm hoping they might come earlier......well, one can wish can't one

Everything is ready for my 5 black sexlink pullets, 5 red sex link pullets, 5 Delaware pullets and 1 Delaware roo. I had chickens years ago and am so excited to have them again.

My brooder is a plastic dog carrier that comes apart top from bottom and am laying them opening ends together for one good size brooder . One side has the heat lamp and the other gives them room to roam. I ordered them from Cackle.