See, I've been out of the loop for too long. *lol*
Back when I used to keep chickens, ordering pullets meant you would get partially grown chicks that were 60 days old. Ready to go straight into the coop, feathered enough to readily sex.
Apparently times have changed.
And I have failed to keep up.This morning the post office calls me to let me know my chicks are in. I went to pick them up, and they hand me this tiny, cheeping box. 25 pullets in something about the size of half of a shoe box? I experienced a bit of paranoia and called the hatchery on the way home.
"You're right" The receptionist says. "Traditionally, pullets were always shipped at 60 days. But here at Mt Healthy Hatchery, we employ two full time specialists in the field of chick sexing. So your chicks were hatched on Wednesday."
Oh dear.
I was completely unprepared for newly hatched chicks. I was counting on 60 day olds that could go straight into the coop with just a brooder light. It took some scrambling to arrange a place for these tiny babies, since they have to be kept at 95 degrees for 2 weeks.
So here they are! Only lost one buff orpington in route, but they happened to have one extra buff orpington in the box so I'm right for numbers.
And yes. My attempt at a hasty chick incubation set up did involve a dog bathtub and my bedroom closet - the only room in the house I can set separately at a constant 95 degrees with no drafts. For the next two weeks. Shut up, I can hear you all laughing already.
