I’m a customer service rep here at My Pet Chicken, which means I’ve held the hands of countless beginners. I’ve laughed at your stories. I’ve helped you troubleshoot. I’ve placed hundreds of chick orders for you. I’ve assured you your breed selection is a good one. (You can hardly go wrong, after all!) And I’ve mourned with you at the occasional passing of a chick.
You might think that because I work here, all things chicken-ey have lost their sheen, or that getting a new batch of baby chicks isn’t as exciting as it used to be. You might think that losing a chick of my own might feel more like a dull ache than a sharp pain—but you’d be wrong!
When I get the call from the postmaster saying “Your chicks have arrived. Can you pick them up?” my internal monologue goes something like: “Can I pick them up? YOU BET I CAN PICK THEM UP! OH. BOY. OH. BOY. OH. BOY!” … and my bewildered husband is left to stare in awe at the streak of flames I leave stretching out across the house as I run to my car and head to the post office.
Greetings Mr. Postman! That is my peeping box and I am definitely ready to take it home!
My My Pet Chicken Chicks
(Say that three times fast!)
This last shipment, the post office was speedy and delivered my chicks arrived a day earlier than normal, so I wasn’t expecting them.
Thank goodness I had my brooder set up already! Whatever you do, just make sure you have that and any other chick supplies 2 to 3 weeks before your chicks are due to arrive, so you’ll have everything ready for them in advance, and won’t have to scramble.
OOH, LOOKIE WHAT IS IN MY BOX–hello, babies! I couldn’t be more delighted!
Before I did my usual streak-out-of-the-house to the post office, though, I did take the time for my last important preparation. It’s an old trick my best-chicken-friend taught me: dissolve a teaspoon of molasses into a cup of water for the chicks, and dip their beaks into it first thing when they’re home. The official advice from My Pet Chicken is to just offer clean, cool water unless the chicks are stressed, but I find the added boost of the one-time sip of molasses water is helpful.
So the first thing I do for my new babies is dip their beaks into the molasses water solution.
Just make sure there’s not too much molasses in the water, as too much sugar can cause loose poo.
As I give them the solution and move them to the brooder one by one, I count how many babies are in the box, note what they look like, and make sure that my order has been fulfilled correctly. And if I lose a chick, I still may cry a little. While I know that some chicks don’t survive whether hatched at home or shipped, it still hurts my heart.
If I do have a loss, I make notes about her appearance so I can report her loss accurately. And then I do the only thing I can: make sure all the other My Pet Chicken chicks are comfortable in their brooder, eating and drinking, and off to a healthy start.
Just like you all do, I check in on my new brood several times a day, and after the kids have settled in, I sneak in one last peek before I head off to bed. They sure are cute, and it fills my heart to see them all running around, eating, drinking, and happy. I can’t wait to see how my My Pet Chicken chicks transform into a flock of “my pet chickens” as they grow and learn to trust me.
It’s an emotional roller coaster, but I love it. I love raising chickens for myself, and I love helping you do the same!
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