T-Birds-The First 48.

The chicks are here! AND, I managed to keep them alive!

I have been reading and bothering my knowledgeable neighbors and friends about chicken care for weeks. I felt I knew what to do. I was pretty sure we were ready to raise little tiny baby chicks. But it wasn't until this morning, after a very sleepless night, when I found each and every one still alive and peeping happily, that I for real knew we could do it.

We are in love out here!

They came in this teeny box. We drove them home from the post office chirping on the front seat. We waited to peek at them until we got home.

They were all crazy and jumping and thought they could fly already. They calmed down after they were fed and had their fill of water in their new cozy warm house that Jeff re-set up in the workshop for me. The green house was too drippy wet.

We got 16 chicks total!

3 different breeds.

From left to right-

(6) Cuckoo Marans

(5) Black Australorps

(5) Buff Orpingtons

Minna was devastated that I wanted to wait 24 hours before we started lovin' them up. She was so sad! That kind of sad is hard for 3 year olds to get over. She got to pat their little backs though.

But today...

...she got to love them all day. She is really good with them and coos and talks to calm them. They are good listeners. Those Buffs are particularly patient.

We had some friends over to meet them too. More pictures of those visits to come. We had three boys cooing and falling hard for the chicks. No one is immune.

What a wonderful, exciting, special gift these little peeps are for us.

Now for 16 perfect chicken names...