The phone rang at the farm this morning…at 6:30AM…and caller ID showed the call was from the “US Gov’t”.  Not usually something you like to see before coffee in the morning.  However, it was our local post office calling to tell us “you have some baby chicks here ready for pick up”!

We set up the brooder box over the weekend in anticipation of our new arrivals, so all we had to do was collect them, and bring them home.

Once we brought them inside, we carefully opened the lid of the chirping box, and see that every single chick had arrived safe and sound.

 

Live Baby Chicks Arrive at Curbstone Valley

One by one we introduced each chick to the water font, and set it under the heat lamp.  What really impressed us was the energy level of all the chicks immediately on arrival.

Once set in the brooder they began to drink water straight away, which was an excellent sign, and as you can see from this video clip that we shot as soon as the last chick was set in the brooder, they immediately started to zip around and explore their new environment.

For the first day we’ve lined the brooder floor with newspaper to discourage the chicks from eating the litter, and to get them used to eating chick food. The newspaper will be removed by the morning however to prevent the chicks from developing a condition known as ‘splay-leg’.

Our new chicks are five different breeds.  Delaware, Buff Orpington, Partridge Plymouth Rock, Golden Laced Wyandotte and Black Australorps.  For today we’re keeping a watchful eye on them, and just letting them get settled in, but in the next couple of days we promise to take some close-up photographs of each breed, and post an update along with a brief description of each of the breeds we’ve chosen.

In the meantime, with 27 little peeping chicks in my office, I have to try and actually get something productive done today!  Maybe…

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We realize it is Easter week this week, but we’d like to remind everyone that Curbstone Valley Farm does NOT advocate purchasing chicks for Easter as gifts.  Many such animals are abandoned each year at local animal shelters soon after the holidays.  Chickens, especially baby chicks, require specialized care and attention far beyond the realm of the holiday week, and should never be acquired impulsively.  Please carefully consider whether or not you and your family can devote the time and resources necessary to raising and caring for chickens before purchasing chicks from your local feed stores.