"Juvenile Hens/Pullets Come to Live With Us......."

Although the chicken coop run is not yet completed, I chose to get 10 juvenile pullets (9-10 weeks of age) yesterday. I have been checking the ads on Craigs List daily and there have been few, if any, pullets being offered for sale. When I saw the ad that a guy had 100 pullets to sell, who also lived quite close to us according to the provided map, I wrote his phone number down. Thank goodness I did because when I sat down to call him and tried pull up his ad to have it in front of me when I talked to him......it was gone! Brad, who had placed the ad, answered his phone and when I told him why I had called, he said he had pulled his ad because he had sold the number he had wanted and only had left what he planned on keeping for himself. I told him I understood and we chatted for a bit as he told me the story of how he ended up with more chicks than expected when he asked how many I had planned on purchasing. When I said 10, he paused and then said he was willing to sell me 10......and the rest is history.

The coop interior has been basically set up and ready for "the girls", although due to an error on my part, the tall tube for the feeder did not get ordered when the base did, so I await its arrival. The girls can eat their food from the bottom tray that did get ordered. :) So early yesterday morning I cleaned and filled the automatic waterer, spread a bale of pine shavings on the floor, opened the 4 windows, and was good to go.......all I needed was to drive into Traverse City and pick up feed and scratch, before driving to pick up the pullets.

I arrived at the agreed upon time and Brad went into the chicken pen and began handing me pullets, which I placed in 2 cardboard boxes for their ride back to our house. I think he had handled the pullets quite a bit as they were pretty calm and continue to be so here at our house.

He sold me 7 Isa Browns, 2 Amber Links, and what I believe is a Golden Laced Wyandotte (center in the photo).

The feed tube for the pan will arrive in a few days and fits on top of the tray they are eating from in this next photo. It works fine for now. I was also pleased to see a couple of them drinking from the waterer, which is similar to the one Brad used, so I think they are settling in nicely and getting to know their surroundings.

Don and I went out to check on them at dusk, knowing they would not be perched on the "tree branch roost" I built for them. They were not raised in a pen that had roosts, so they have to learn how to use them. With the low light of dusk, I was able to pick up each one and place her on a roost, and when we left, closing the door behind us, all of the girls had remained on the branches where I had placed them. Hopefully, they stayed there all night (its good for their feet) and will begin to understand that is what they need to do each night. I am sure that we will be out there again tonight, and perhaps a few more nights before we find them all up on the perches on their own.

I had begun building the panel sections for the chicken run and certainly now have a much more urgent need to get them completed. I will continue working on them today and may even have them finished this afternoon. I may be too optimistic, but should definitely be finished with them tomorrow at the latest. The girls need to be "cooped up" for a few days to get used to the idea of their new home anyway, so that gives me plenty of time. :)