New Chicks!

Tractor Supply got in their first order of chicks yesterday and today I went and got some. I was hoping they would have some Cornish X (meat birds) but all they had were layers today. They had California Whites which are a leghorn chicken. Leghorns lay more eggs than any other breed. They had Production Reds and another red chick. I think they were Rhode Island Reds but I can't remember. All the red birds are fairly good layers. They had Americaunas which often lay green eggs (I have one of these here now that lays lovely green eggs) and they had two different kinds of ducks. Ducks are so cute but terribly messy and I am not ready for that mess again. I bought 6 California Whites and 6 Americaunas.

I'd love to be able to say that they are all doing great but unfortunately one of the Americaunas is failing. I have dipped his beak in the water several times but I have never yet had a chick live that looked like this--listless, not eating or drinking. I imagine it will be dead by morning. The rest of them are moving around and eating and drinking though so that should be the only one we lose. Sometimes they just don't do well considering they are shipped on a plane with only their body heat to keep them warm, then sit at the post office, then are put in the brooder at the store (their heat lamps are awfully high over the brooders) and then caught, put in a box and then a ride in the car to your house. Sometimes they just get chilled too much and don't make it.
Anyway, I'll keep you all updated on how the rest of them do.