Chicks!

Mid-week, I was excited to actually find broiler chicks for sale at the farm store!  After trying to order my own at the end of March (when I typically order for a late April/early May delivery) and not being able to find any available from the hatchery before the second week of June, I wasn't sure how much luck I'd have getting any locally.  From past experience, the Spring weekly orders of broiler chicks are usually sold out by the day they arrive at the store, and sometimes even weeks before then.

When I stopped to buy a mineral block and some fly spray for my horse, I just had to cruise through the part of the store where the new chicks are kept. Just in case, you know.

There, in a stock tank, was a whole bunch of fuzzy little Cornish cross babies!  The tank had three different "pre-sold" slips of various quantities taped to it, but I didn't see the typical SOLD OUT sign on the tank.

Hunting down a sales associate, I tentatively asked if any of the broiler chicks might still be available.  And amazingly, the answer was yes!! I could buy the dozen that I requested.  I admit, I'd had my fingers crossed.

Woo hoo!  Adding a bag of chick starter and a bale of pine shavings to my cart while the associate fished yellow fuzzballs from the stock tank, my day took on a whole lot more happiness.  Farm fresh chicken to eat before September!! (My chicks on order probably won't be ready to butcher until late August, which was a bummer.)

box of future chicken dinners

Based on a few of the chicks still having a prominent egg tooth, I'm guessing that they had just arrived at the farm store mere hours before I did.  That's probably how I got lucky enough to buy them; they hadn't sold out yet.

Now they are happily adjusting to life at this little place here, in our brooder.