New Chicks have arrived and a word on vaccinations

Lost 6 in shipment due to an 'accident' at the Post Office however they were insured so that is between the PO and Murray McMurray Hatchery. There are 48 in all and it took only about 10 minuets to perk them back up with the grow gel and quick chick. If I can get 40 healthy pullets that will be acceptable however that, as they say, 'we shall see'. I went exclusively with sex-link chicks, the Red and Black Star with 5 new RH Reds they were offering. I have had it with Dominiques although they are good layers and are quite attractive-especially the roosters they are pretentious, easily irritated, lazy and simply refuse to lay their eggs where I can find them. They have a secure hen house with nice big nest yet they will lay in the top of the hay barn, under a tree or fly into an open car window and lay in the seat. I have never had that much of a problem with the sex link pure breeds-for what ever reason. Chickens-as anyone who has ever raised them knows-do some really odd things from time to time and I have found that the oddness follows certain breeds.

The decision to have them all vaccinated for Coccidiosis and Marek's Disease added over $20.00 to the bill however after consulting with a real scientist( not someone on the internet who claims to be)-an Ornithologist-about something that is so complex that both the Wildlife Resources Agency and the Farm Bureau don't keep on staff and recommended certain specialist to contract with. Due to copyright laws(I signed a waiver) I can't publish what her report said in it's entirety however I would strongly, highly recommend that if you are planning on getting this many chicks you do the same. The various disease strains showing up in Asian domestic bird populations are troubling and neither vaccinations would stop these I just felt it was the right thing to do.

Or basically I just went with a hunch which has always been a proven decision maker for my self over all these years.


This is there hutch they will out grow in about 10 days then to there new digs outside.


Amazing they are only about 60 hours old and traveled about 600 miles to get here. Also, they have made a tremendous mess in no time-which is good-it shows they have recovered from the trip. I will clean out this end of the hutch every 4 hours or so for the first few days. The bird professor emphatically stated to keep the paper as fresh as possible for the first 48 hours.