They're talking to me!

Here is a video of my daughter when we brought our chicks home!  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrUtYQn7fLw

The chicks arrive!

I got a call today at work. It was the Golden Mill saying our Rhode Island Reds arrived! After work, the family loaded up and stopped by the store.  $12 later ($4 per chick), we took our new chickys home.

I had some names picked out, but Lucy wanted to call them "Princess Aurora Sleeping Beauty", "Belle" and of course "Mermaid". I'll ask again tomorrow and see if her princess inspired names have stuck! :)

Its been a long time coming... So here are a couple photos and I'll post a video soon.

Chick feeder

Chick feeder

$3.50 Golden Mill

Heat Lamp

a brooder lamp from Walmart for $11 for a 250W heat bulb

I just swung by the local WallyMart to pick up a heat lamp for the heat bulb.  The one I bought takes up to 300W bulbs and I purchased a 250W heat bulb.  They also have smaller heat lamps for $7 but only go up to 150W bulb.  This baby should keep those chicks nice and warm!

Getting ready

Heat bulb, waterer and chick feed

Our 3 chicken order will be coming next week, so I stopped by Golden Mill to start getting some items for when we bring the chicks home.

I picked up a 25lb bag of chick feed.  The chicks will eat this food until they are 18-20 weeks old. I also picked up a 1qt waterer, and a heating bulb.  The chicks need 95˚ temp for the first week home, and then decrease the temp 5˚ a week.  Once it gets to 70˚ or so, they don't need the heat lamp anymore.

I also picked up a tall cardboard box for their little home.  I plan to line it with newspaper for the first 2 days so they can learn to walk, then I will take out the newspaper sheets and put in wood shavings.  I am also going to put this box in our bathroom down stairs that way I can lock out two cats out.  The last  thing I want Lucy to see is Oscar gulping down a newborn chick!

The total for food, waterer and bulb was $20.56.