TheBanyanTree: A Lotta Chicks

[NancyIee at aol.com]

It was so easy and so much fun, browsing through the online hatchery 
catalogue. It was rather like going through a garden catalogue, "the pink roses are 
pretty, we'll take two," and "A row of peas and another of beans, and, oh, some 
cabbages."  This time it was, "I love Rhode Island Reds, they lay the brown 
eggs, we'll take twenty, and we need something odd, how about these?"

Click, click, click, we saw the pictures and added to our "cart".

Last Monday, the nearest post office called (at 6 A.M). and said our chickens 
were in.  In the country, on a cool morning, one can wear a pajamma top under 
our jacket. We were in such a hurry to get our chicks.  Such a small box. I 
was expecting a carton . after all, we ordered a lotta chickens.

Upon getting home, we opened the box, and out tumbled a mountain of chicks.  
There were our Rhode Island Reds, tiny rust-toned fluffs. There were the odd 
ones, smaller black bits of lint with white top-knots like ski caps. Polish 
Blacks they were called. And some of those South American ones that lay green 
eggs.  We could not resist.

But, there were others, dozens.  I checked the enclosed list and, yes, those 
were the ones we ordered, but who were the others. Then, at the bottom of the 
list was stamped, "Red Star males enclosed for Warmth."  March is a cool 
month, even here in the deep south. I suppose the male Red Stars were expendable as 
"warmth." Packing material.

Well, I'll keep them and raise them anyway.  They are OUR chicks.

They now reside in our sun room, divided between large totes, with cedar 
shavings for their tiny feet, and lamps to keep them warm.  They are demanding, 
needing fresh water and food several times a day .. and. . THERE ARE SO MANY!!!

How easy to order.  Astonishing to raise so many.

Yet, I'll work on enlarging the chicken yard while they grow.  I'll buld a 
few more laying nests.  We needed more hens because we are able to sell the 
eggs, and more people want them than we can currently produce.  Our six little 
Rhose Island Reds work overtime. lol.

And, come some summer morning, I expect to hear the crowing of the little Red 
Star roosters.


NancyLee