Today I was at the feed store....just looking at picking up another water fount for my babies that are supposed to arrive on the 19th from MM. My son and I watched a lady buy all but 2 chicks, he felt horrible for the last two getting left, he asked..how could I say no. So we bought the last 2 light brahma pullets. I got to talking to the gal who boxed them up and told her that we had 36 coming on Monday in the mail. She asked what hatchery, I told her MM. She said that is where the feed store had been getting theirs and that they had been getting the call from the PO about noon on Sundays. So I was super excited that they might come on Sunday instead of a call very early on Monday morning. Well tonight at 10:11pm, my phone rings and it is the PO, my girls are in and ready for pick up!!! So we ran to town. I am happy to report that they are all alive and doing well. They shipping label says they hatched at 5pm on 3-16, and were put in the mail on the 17th. They made it all the way from MM to my PO in under 24 hours. I am assuming the earliest they left MM was 8am...so probably 14 hour trip. And I am excited to report that they are all perky, and very chirpy. They ate drank ran around and are now settling down. I ordered 35, they added in the usual free rare and exoctic, another free female Turken and another free female Araucana (EE). So I ended up with 38, plus the two light brahmas = 40 chicks, plus the 29 hens I already have....wow...that is some explosive chicken math. Looks like I will be doing some thinning this year. I have several very old girls in my original flock...I think some could be 4-6 years old. It was really fun to check them all over and decide who was who...it was pretty easy since I ordered ones that look quite different. I ordered the Turkens, Black Cochins, Mottled Houdans, Cuckoo Marans and the EE. The rare one is a feather footed one that kinda looks like an EE, but has different markings on its head...it is straight run, I am keeping my fingers crossed it is a girl. So all in all, I am very pleased with my order.
Wow, that sounds like so much fun. I've never taken a big order before, especially not one in the mail, so I can only imagine how exciting that would be, getting the call and examining the shipment. I love getting things in the mail, and I love getting new chickens. Congratulations, they sound really great. Good luck with them all! It sounds like you'll be busy for some time to come.
We have just been having a ball with them. Chick tv is the best! They remind me of toddlers, just running like crazy, total chicken ADD, then they just crash and fall asleep where ever they are, in the feeder, between another ones legs...anywhere. It is just too cute. I wish I could sit and watch them all day, but sadly there is work to be done around the house.
Congratulations on the new chicks. 40 is a lot of chicks. Hopefully you have a large brooder. The most I have raised at one time was 25 and I thought that was a lot. I will be getting 20 in just under 3 weeks.
