I am a chick magnet!

Picked up my first 10 chicks today, 5 Barred Rocks and 5 Austrolops, and I'll pick up a mix of Rhode Island Reds and Gold Sex-Links tomorrow, depending on availability at the other feed store tomorrow.

Cedar the Yellow lab (on a leash at the time) was interested in meeting his new family members.

I'll build my own coop big enough to handle up to 16 laying hens with wood that is left over from the house, as that is what we will have to start with. The one thing I couldn't find was an average mortality rate on chicks. I would hope to bring all 16 to maturity, but want at least 8-12 regular working girls in the stable. The first 10 have all found water at least 3 times, and they are all eating, so I guess that is a good start. We put any chicks that found water into their delivery box, waiting for the remainder to find water on their own after showing them the way a few times. Guess it worked.

We are on the way. With the heated office, a space heater, and the IR light, the chicks moved away from the heat lamp after an hour, so I raised the heatlamp up a bit. I'll check in a bit to see how they are doing. Acting like a mother hen I am.