This year we are raising the Cornish Cross breed as our meat birds. We had planned to raise Big Red broilers, again, but, when attempting to order them, we discovered there were none available. So, despite a strong disinclination for this breed, we placed an order and will hope for good results.
On Tuesday afternoon, we received a USPS notification that the chicks had been received at the Post Office in Iowa. By Wednesday morning, the chicks had flown to Anchorage, AK. On Wednesday evening, after the local Post Office had closed, we received a USPS notification that the chicks had arrived and were ready to be picked up. Seriously! Today, at 1:30 A.M. we received another USPS notification that the chicks were ready to be picked up. Seriously!! At 6:40 A.M., we received a phone call from the local Post Office with instructions on how to pick up the chicks before they officially open for business. That message was much appreciated. It is generous of the local employees to offer that service even though they don’t have to do it.
Melissa picked up the chicks and we counted them as we placed them on the brooder table. We dip their beaks in the water before we release them to wander. It isn’t necessary, because their natural curiosity would lead them to quickly find the waterer, but it can’t hurt. Chickens learn from each other by observation so if one chick observes another drinking, the behavior rapidly spreads.
All told, we received the 50 chicks we ordered, two bonus chicks, and a surprise chick. Bonus chicks are the ones the hatchery adds to make up for some dying en route. A surprise chick is a freebie the hatchery gives out. When filling orders, sometimes the number of available chicks is greater than the number ordered. The hatchery can’t hold chicks too long before they are too old to ship safely. If you take their offer of a surprise chick, they will send you a chick from their current leftovers. It was our good fortune (and the chicks’, as well), to discover they all survived the trip! They were in far better condition than the chicks we received last spring.
We ordered 50 straight run chicks because we hope to harvest them in four groups. When the time comes, we want to take out approximately a dozen per week, starting with the fastest growing males and ending with the slowest-growing females.
Probability favors surprise chicks being males. Since we need to replace our rooster, the surprise chick has a good chance at filling the position. Once it develops its adult feathers we can speculate more confidently as to its breed and sex. To discover the chick to be a male from a good layer breed would be a welcome coincidence.
