Baby Chicks Arrive!

The chicks arrive!

Araucanas drinking

Chicks in the brooder

The first chicks learn to drink

Little leghorn chick - potentially named 'Bonny'

Today I'm working a 1pm to 10pm shift, so I was home when H got a call from the post office that our chicks had arrived. I drove down to pick them up and immediately brought them home. The brooder was ready and waiting, so I carefully moved them into it. They all started peeping contentedly once under the heat of the lamp.

H and I helped each one learn to drink. We also had to show a few of them were to find the food, but once they got the hang of it, they went to town. Particularly on the water! We already had to change the bedding because it was soaking wet in just a couple of hours. They are really cute...and all 15 made it to us safe and sound. Now we'll have to sell a few, but for now we are letting them get settled in. I didn't expect the araucanas to be so interesting looking, even as chicks. They are very pretty! The Rhode Island reds appear to enjoy sprinting around the brooder and the leghorns are the most active (so far).

We also introduced our dogs to them. Maggie (the super mutt) seemed just a little too interested. I held onto her collar the whole time...just in case. Charlie (the golden bassett mix) wasn't too sure about these little peeping creatures. He would only approach the brooder if I was sitting there, and even then would only peer into it from the safety of behind my shoulder. Our cat (Kitty) will NOT be meeting the chicks. He won't get exposure to them until they are at least as big as he is....seeing as how Kitty is so small, that probably won't be very long! ;-)