Fluffer-nutters and Feeling Frazzled

Not sure if I'm still feeling the effect of Daylight Savings Time or there is just too much on the calendar right right but I found myself a bit on edge this week. It was as though if I didn't think carefully I going to completely forget something important. I'm guessing it is more the former than the latter given the following things on the agenda. Pi Day, St. Patrick's day and the Leprechaun, Spring Break, re-doing the floors during Spring Break, planning Emilie's Birthday Party, Easter....and all the other normal stuff we do. Oh, and we got chicks this week so add baby chicken care to the list. Yeah, I think that is why I keep feeling like I'm forgetting something..... Lists help, I've been making a lot of lists....

Half of the stuff on said lists can be checked off now and my brain is feeling much less occupied. Pi Day passed, St. Pat's and the Leprechaun have also gone home for the year. The fluffer nutters (aka chicks) have survived their first 36 hours and seem quite perky (and hungry) which allows a breath of relief. Easter baskets are done (well, Kevin's and the kids are...Kevin is in charge of my basket and it's always a little entertaining to see what happens there. I have gotten a basket full of IOU's in the past... :p ) Emilie's Birthday is the furthest out on the list and is slowly coming together. Plus the kids are both officially on Spring Break so all kid shuttling responsibility is done for the next nine days. Truth be told I'm in a good place to sit back and relax tonight, or if we're feeling frisky, Kevin and I may indulge in a couple beers and start ripping up the carpets... Stay tuned for that one it, it could get entertaining.

Now, as for the Fluffer-nutters. In a stroke of genius we managed to time a chick arrival (something that has been in the works for quite some time) during Leprechaun prank and made their appearance a parting 'gift' from the Leprechaun.

There are eight chicks altogether. We are shooting for six laying hens and figured eight would offer some wiggle room as it is not uncommon to lose a chick or two due to travel stress and such. These are just regular old sex-link too so nothing fancy and there is always a chance some of these little fuzz balls are roosters. Honestly, all we want are eggs so roosters will have to be dealt with down the line. Emilie is head over heels in love with them and has them all named (Tweety, Climber, Sawyer, Thunderbolt, Peep Peep, Carmy and Claire (Jack's picks), and Princess Emilie). She has just about moved into the laundry room in order to provide them with constant care and attention.... Jack, on the other side of the coin, is down with feeding and watering but doesn't like to hold them because of their scratchy toenails. Hopefully, they can move outside in 4 or 5 weeks as I don't think their brooder is going to hold them terribly long. They eat like little fuzzy piglets.

It's been 15+ years since I've done the chicken thing and I'm a little rusty, but thankfully Kevin's folks raise meat chicks every year and were willing to share chick rearing tips. So far all eight seem to be doing well and their biggest threat seems to be being loved to death by Emilie. Fingers crossed we have a successful run at this.