May 18th and 19th- How my life changed with a phone call

I was on my way home Wednesday night when I got a call on my cell phone from the local Agway store.  My two pullet hens have arrived 2 1/2 weeks early, and could I pick them up today?  I pleaded for more time and agreed to get them at 8:00AM on Thursday.

So, after getting over the shock of feeling like NOTHING was ready, I shared the news with Bob and got up extra early the next day.

I gathered the two large dog crates that Carl had loaned to me on Sunday, cleaned them well with Clorox to disinfect, and set one up on the back screened in porch.

I had no idea "how big" these girls were going to be, or if they'd be under stress from transport, so I put a vitamin supplement into the water, put out some food in the long feeder tray and some "poultry grit" into a dog bowl.

Next, I got two "cat carriers" out of the basement so I could bring them home, and away I went to Agway.

Yup, glad I brought TWO carriers, they were bigger than I thought they might be!  I picked up another few things that I thought I might need and we headed home.

The first thing they did was climb onto the red feeder tray and dumped out all the food!  OK, not a good choice of container, put in another dog dish!  They ate and drank so I was glad I had things on hand.

Laddy wanted to see what was going on, so I introduced him to "Henrietta" and "Gertrude".  Being an English Setter, he is OBVIOUSLY a bird dog!  Almost immediately after this photo, he decided to flinch at them, to see if he could get them to take flight.

AND HE DID!!

Henrietta took off in full flight, landing on Gertrude with a thud which made her spread her wings in defense and both of them flapping furiously to get away from either Laddy or themselves, proceeded to flip 75% of the pine shavings all over the back porch!

NOW I understand why I wanted that coop ready!  I cleaned up the mess, put the hens back into the cage and went to work for the day, knowing that I wouldn't be able to do anything to get the coop ready until at least Saturday afternoon or late Sunday!

When I got home, I checked to make sure all was well in chickenville, and was pleased when I found TWO eggs!  (There goes the theory that they need to have nesting boxes to perform!)

So, my two little Rhode Island Reds are of laying age and should provide me with two eggs every day or two from now on! 


Life is a beautiful thing!  Especially if I can keep Laddy off the back porch until the girls get moved into their chicken coop.