Dinner Is Served

In about 8 weeks.

I jest, but I'm well aware and appreciate the sacrifice these little ones will make for us in that time.  All I can do is give them the nicest life I can, so their short stay here is a good one.

There are 14, as one was lost in shipping.  They are the typical Cornish cross meat bird.  Meat birds are being done in three shifts here, instead of many all at once.  This is because it's mainly me (and possibly my husband) processing, and I don't have a plucker, so it'll be slow.  This is shift one. 

When I woke up the kids to get them this morning, my daughter was excited, and my son just wanted a bagel.  So, to get him going, I promised him one (and yes, I delivered).  My daughter stayed excited until we got the chicks, which were VERY noisy, so she didn't like that.  Then she pronounced them "ugly", and said that their heads were too big.   My son just wanted to eat his bagel.  It seems we won't be having any attachment issues, which I was worried about.  Phew!

I will say that they are very noisy, but that was because they were thirsty--very thirsty.  I put them in the brooder under the light, and that didn't help, nor did the food.  But once I put the water in there with them, that stopped them.  They went right to it and drank and drank.  I find it a little freaky that they knew how--I've always had to show the layer chicks.  That's an interesting difference.  I have a feeling there will be plenty more interesting differences before this project is through.