The chicks are here!

The chicks were shipped express mail yesterday from Norwalk, CT and arrived here today at 11:00am.  The postal system really is a pretty amazing service.  The post woman told me they get chicks in almost every day!  All 18 were alive and look healthy.  I wish I would have taken a picture before I took them out of the box.

I quickly put them into the brooder that I had turned on before leaving for the post office, after checking that every one was well.  Being sure to dunk each chicks beak in the water. 

Twelve of these chicks were for my friend Mandy.  We split an order since shipping is $35.  In hind site that wasn't such a thought out plan.  There was a total of 5 breeds and one rooster.  The rooster wasn't marked!  Mandy lives in the country and wanted a rooster, so hope it all works out well.

They quickly start to run around and peck at the food and water.  I really almost hated to give Mandy hers.

Chicks like to be at about 95F the first week of life so I'm going to have to keep up with the temp changes since they are in a container in the chicken coop.  It's going to drop down to 48F tonight so I  covered half the container with the lid to help hold in heat.  The worst thing for baby chicks is draft, and this coop is draft free on the floor since all the ventilation is built on the top.

Swarm bucket and chick update.

Slide show of John Jones using his new swarm bucket at Oakhurst Community Garden.  He was kind enough to make me one as well, I just have to buy the extension pole.  He posted how to make this great tool on his blog.

Some additional info on this particular hive that swarmed.  This hive is the only hive that I could save at Oakhurst Garden last fall.  Correction, I believe the genetics is actually what saved it, not me.  It came of out winter very robust with a deep and two mediums.  This hive has shown it's self to be very defensive.  Not aggressive, but defensive non the less.  It has stung me and chased me to my car before after working them.  It has also stung another member of the garden staff and a few visitors.  I welcome the new queen and pray she is a kinder ruler.  That also being said, I'm glad that George Andl, who is the one who notified me of the swarm, is going to give them a home and keep this strong genetics going.

The chicks will hopefully ship tomorrow and be here by Thursday at the very latest!  I'm very excited!