Phew. It was a race I set in motion months ago with the order we placed with our hatchery in January. The number of chicks in a batch determines the needed area of the brooder and field coops. So I had plenty of warning that a fourth field coop needed to be built by Tuesday, April 26th. With the next batch of chicks coming this week, I had to free up the brooder by moving the last batch of chicks from the brooder out to the field, which meant finishing the last field coop. For a race that started four months ago it was a close finish.
It was Tuesday morning when I finished the last of the necessary details on the new coop. Cedar helped me bring the two coops out to the field, while Bridget and Treva drove their car behind us since the coop takes up a good portion of the road. Cedar and I gathered all 480 chicks into the chick crates and by 5pm I was headed out to the field to introduce the chicks to their new home.
I began to unload the chicks when I heard a familiar sound of Lewis and Lovett’s excited voices! I looked up to see our car parked in the field and Racey and the kids running out to find me. They had finished making dinner but decided to come out and find me and help me get the chicks situated. I set the empty chick crate on the ground and soaked in the image of my family running across the green pasture, postponing dinner to help me finish. A mix of emotions washed over me as I joyfully raised my arms in celebration, half closed my eyes in a broad smile and swallowed the lump forming in my throat.
We exchanged hugs and high-fives and Lewis and Lovett showed mama how to carry the crates and unload the chicks in the coop. Next we filled their feeders, checked for water leaks and setup the electric fence that keeps predators at bay. Then we loaded up the now empty crates and headed home for dinner.
The next morning we headed off to the post office to collect the next batch of chicks only to find a quiet postoffice with no chicks! It was a cold and windy day, so not a kind day for hundreds of chicks to be stranded on a delivery truck somewhere…but luckily the fates smiled and our chicks were on the afternoon truck and we were able to get them situated and warm that afternoon. Lovett helped me unload and check the chicks. They are often quite energetic and it is always fun to see them running about as they get to know their new surroundings. You just have to watch where you put your foot as you walk.
With the arrival of this batch of chicks we now have approximately 1,440 chickens on the farm, 25 pigs and the cattle will be here soon!
Reber Rock Farm Blog 