We picked up our 200 Cornish X day old chicks at the post office this morning. This is our second time with this --- last summer we raised 50 of them and couldn't believe how fun it was. This time around it took awhile longer to unload the boxes since there were so many more. Their little peep/screams were more stressful to us than to them, I think. We dipped each cutey bill into water and tried to count them, but lost count completely.

What does 200 little yellow cotton swabs look like anyway?

Now, just hours later, their screams are just sweet little peeps. They are drinking, eating and checking each other out. We have them outdoors in a hoophouse this time around. Last time it was a heated garage. We have four circles of flexible plastic with a brooder light in each circle. We also put a space heater in there, but I have already shut it off since it was plenty warm. I will probably put in on low for a few nights though.

Last August, we only had them in the brooder for two weeks before we put them in their protected yard. This time, we figure since it is still pretty cold, they will probably be in the brooder for three weeks. The grass isn't starting to grow yet anyway. Fun way to make a living!!!