Learning the Lessons

I’ve been waiting patiently for the arrival of the 1200 chicks. It’s getting frustrating for me that I’m done everything that I can, and they’re still not here! We’re so ready on the farm for them to come. We’re continuing to prepare for their arrival even though I’m uncertain of their arrival at this point. The coop is clean, we have all the food, and all the supplies are bought.

I’ve been doing a lot to prepare for the arrival. I’ve been doing lots of research to learn about raising day old chicks, feed for the birds, disease prevention, lighting, how to tell the health of the flock, and many more things. I’m learning more about raising laying chickens then I ever could have imagined. That being said there’s always more to learn. I learned that in a funny way. It might sounds at this point that there’s lots of frustration with the chicks not arriving…there is but that’s not the point of this post. With each week that they don’t come, I’m learning a little more.

Yesterday I had a seminar with the workers about how to raise the chicks from everything that I have read and researched. Our main chicken man has worked in large chicken coops in the past and has lots of knowledge. During the seminar, he asked a lot of questions and made some great suggestions. I think he knew most of what I taught. After the seminar, he brought over one of the hens. At first I didn’t know what was happening. Then Solomon explained to me that the bird was sick. The chicken man then lifted up the wing of the bird and insisted that I feel. It was very warm. The chicken must have a fever…so sad. Here I am trying to teach this man how to raise chickens but he knows the birds. They have become this children. He knows when they’re hungry or sick just like any good parent should.

It just reinforces for me that you can have the most book knowledge in the world but it means nothing if you don’t have the hands on experience. I guess this whole year is that experience for me.