PECKING ORDER

We are used to requests to visit the End of the Rainbow Valley which range from escaping the bustling city life, learning about passive solar living, growing/canning one's own food, being organic/a desire to visit our animals. It was the latter for our latest visitors. Unfortunately, no new kids (goats) this year but chicks did arrive last week via the U.S. postal service.

Our local post office gave us a call first thing in the a.m. when they arrived. The post man added, "they were talking to him." We picked them up ASAP as the chicks are mailed from their hatchery the day after they hatch in an aerated box with no food nor water. 

They're plenty hungry and thirsty when they arrive. We had special food and water with vitamins awaiting them. They'll be kept housed in our garage until all their feathers have come in (about 3-4 weeks). Usually we use a large box but this time Natureman got fancy and rigged up four sheets of plywood and a piece of lattice to hang a lamp to keep them warm.

In just a week their tail and wing feathers have already started coming in. Natureman ordered 3 Red Stars, 3 Black Stars, 9 Araucanas and 1 'free' exotic chick courtesy of Murray McMurray Hatchery. They are all good layers, said to have a "good feed conversion ratio."                                   

El gives each of the chicks some attention

When friend Jen was out the other day for a meeting and saw the chicks, she knew her daughter  El (Eliana) would love to come visit. Since El was heading off to out-of-town summer camp soon, we really couldn't wait until after camp since those baby chicks would no longer be chicks but gawky teenagers. They mature very quickly. 

El's definitely an animal lover and comes by it naturally from a Mom who grew up in the country with horses, et al and has allowed her kids to have a menagerie of house pets as city kids. Chickens may be in their future...

                                                                  

El also visited her goat friends, Jacqueline and Mancha, treating them to crowned vetch. Of course, she made sure Romeo, our dog, got some love and also sought out Fluffy, the barn cat. Everybody got extra attention this particular afternoon as we too thoroughly enjoyed Jen and El's visit. Y'all come back, ya hear?