Case of the Mondays

I didn't see this coming. Our chickens didn't show up today. I have everything ready for the little girls, but no one showed up. I called the chicken factory, and the United States Postal Service but I didn't get any answers. I'm working at a gov't building now days, so I fully understand our government's efficiency challenges. I have a few majorly ridiculous stories which have occured this week, but I'll put that on my Sharepoint blog at work (does anyone actually do that...Just because Sharepoint has it, doesn't mean we should use it IT guys). I should not have been surprised that they didn't come through for me.

USPS says they will call me at 5:30AM if the chickens get off their next truck. I might be there before they call to help unload the truck and look for my little darlings. Here's a picture of the Bob proof brooder with it's heat lamp. I doubled it's size after I saw how much space the food and water bowls take.

In other news, we got a fence quote today and we have 2 more coming tomorrow. It looks like we'll have to keep looking until we find a vendor that doesn't mix Si clarity diamonds into their chain link. And, there is a much greater chance that everyone will be invited to our house for a fence building party. Stay tuned.

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: