Chicken Readiness Review

It's close to chicken time. I'm expecting chickens to ship on Monday June 23rd, and arrive on Tuesday. Jackson is super pumped just like me. I get lots of cockadoodledoos from him while I work on the brooder.

My brooder is a cardboard box purchased from Target during a huge tantrum thrown by the 2 year old. The tantrum was based somehow on Thomas the train and how we're terrible parents for not buying the entire collection of track, trains, and buildings. I wish the store would cover up all the Thomas boxes so they didn't look so bloody exciting.

The brooder should be 1/2 square foot per chicken, provide access to food and water, and not let the chicks make a huge mess out of it. The chicks need to be kept at about 95 degrees for the first week, and a few degrees less each week after that so I'll have a light bulb in the box. It shouldn't be drafty, but they need air. Of course, Bob shouldn't be allowed in the brooder. The chicks can leave the nest at 3-4 weeks and stay outside full time in their coop, which right now is rotting in the yard. I have the water and food dispensers, and the pine shredding for the floor ready to go.

Here's a picture of my brooder:

Scattered

Does life just get more and more scattered when you have kids, or is it just me? Today is our first day back from vacation. When I checked my planner, I realized that Jackson was supposed to start his summer Mother's Day Out schedule last week and he has now missed 3 days of "school." The people at that program must think I'm the biggest idiot. I am the biggest idiot.

So, we just left this:

And today I am facing this:

Yuck. Back to the real world.

p.s. We are currently getting quotes for a fence for the backyard and the little chicks are scheduled to arrive in 5 days. Prepare yourselves for some more scattered blog posts!