Trial For Eight Chicks....Or Worse!

It turns out the Beast wasn't willing to risk all of the chicks to the possibility of death by cold.  So I selected four chicks from each bin and he brought them out to the new pen in the barn.  It had already been preheated and the blanket that covers the front down to the top of the pen was secured..the side is open however so there will still be plenty of air.  The chicks seemed to love all the room and explored it from one side to the other.  They also checked out the new feeder (which is more like a huge corn holder) and the new water dispenser.  That one had a concave top so they won't be launching themselves from THAT!  It's a different design and will hold plenty of water for them in it as well as more room for all of them to gather around it if that happens to occur.

Since we have two more really cold nights predicted, they could be sacrificed to the cold gods if that should happen.  The pen is holding a 72 degree temperature even though our high today was just 36 degrees.  It's only supposed to go down to 28 degrees tonight, the same for Friday night and lower 20's on Saturday.  If they survive after those temps, on Sunday we will put the rest of the chicks out there.

With the feathers that they have already, I'm pretty sure they will make it but the Beast just isn't ready to take the chance on losing all of them after all the money that's been spent to date.  I doubt that he would repeat this with chicks.  He would probably wait until April when he could buy bigger chickens although it would mean paying more for less.  I know he's hoping that the chicks survive.  He would love for all 22 of them to reach the egg laying stage.  How he's going to make 22 nesting boxes is beyond me.  It's not going to be easy because they won't share...LOL.

What's funny is that the chicks that remain in the bins are huddling together for warmth without the heat lamps.  And, now that there is only the lighting from the windows during the day and our lights that we have on in the evening, when the lights are turned off at bedtime....they go to sleep and have been asleep all night!  I think that's what they needed...a more natural existence with a real day and night cycle.  Unfortunately, until they are actually much bigger and have all their feathers, that won't happen.  The Beast will keep the heat lamps on until he's sure that they can take any cold Mother Nature throws at us.

Me?  I'm going to watch for an appropriate aprong (it has to hang from my neck and tie around my waist) to make an egg-gathering apron.  That way, with individual pockets (which I will make and sew into place), there is less chance of breaking any eggs that are gathered.  I actually have a pattern for what is called a Barbeque apron so, if I have to, I can make one from scratch.  That works for me, too, since I love to have sewing projects.  

The Beast forgot to put out the garbage on Tuesday (pickup is on Wednesdays) so we have an almost full garbage bin and a week to go.  I guess he will be trotting over to get Dennis' extra one if he doesn't foresee needing it.  Dennis told us that we could *borrow* it any time we needed it.  He knows that the Beast often forgets about pickup day.  Lately, it wouldn't have mattered if he didn't take it out on Tuesday evening since they were coming later in the day.  BUT...of course, this morning they came early....VERY early.  Like around 6am.  It woke the Beast up when he heard the truck.  THAT is when he remembered that he had forgotten.  Too late....LOL.

I know I said I would take pictures of the chicks when we put them out in the pen but I meant ALL of them.  So there will be a slight delay.  Not until Sunday IF the 8 chicks survive the next couple of days.  

Time to go.  Love you all.  Today, tell someone you love that you do.  Remember, today is all we have.  Tomorrow is not promised.  ***Hugs***