Special Deliivery

Stan's arrival was a bit delayed, and that was fine with me because I could keep going on stuff in the house.  There are ongoing problems with the new vacuum cleaner and the living and dining rooms didn't get quite done.  Crum.

When Stan did come, I went out to get a great hug, a big grin, and meet the new arrivals.  All seven chickens were in a huge dog pen in the back of the enclosed truck, very quiet, as chickens are when afraid or wary.  The Delawares turned out to be white with touches of black and a light wash of gold.  These kids are hefty two-year-olds, being dual-purpose chickens.  They might be a little past prime for Sunday dinner (never happens here), but the perfect age for laying eggs.

Stan's first order of business was to nail down a warped section of T1-11 on the back wall of the coop.  The hammer and nails were easier to find than anticipated, but getting the panel nailed down was more complicated than one would think.  Stan was good at improvising and got the job done.  I'm pretty good at holding and handing things and staying out of the way.

I like to think I can still do everything by myself, but I never could have unloaded those big birds without Stan.  We had discussed the need to clip wing feathers to keep the chickens from flying.  Adopting Butterfly McQueen's attitude, Stan said "I don't know nuthin' 'bout chickens," but was game to try.  We worked out a pretty good system where he'd grab a hen from the cage and hold it tight and I did the clipping.  We left the rooster for last.  Stan was rightfully respectful of that big boy's spurs, and we got him done.  By that time the girls had found the scratch and were inspecting their new home.  Bessie Anne was so excited to meet the new residents.  I think she thinks I got them just for her.

I am very happy with the new flock, but the best part of the day was spending time with Stan, catching up on family news, and getting another great hug when he left.

With sundown coming, I needed to adjust time frames to accommodate the addition of chickens.  It's been awhile since that was on the chore list.  Happily, these kids trooped into the coop right away and tucked themselves down for the night like they'd been here all their lives.

Throw in a gorgeous sunset and I can say it was a very good day.