Round 'em up and move 'em on out! I moved my latest batch of chicks down to the chicken barn, still in a brooding pen, but a bit roomier. I promised my husband I would get them out of his garage before they started to stink or fly out and poo on everything, whichever came first, and I kept my promise! I've got a top on the brooding pen this year so they can't get out. I don't want them pooing on everything down there either. Because that's what chickens do best, even the little ones.
Here they are enjoying their new digs...
This has made room in the garage for my yard sale. Yes, it's finally going to happen! I've been talking about having a yard sale for like 3 years now. It's officially in the works. But I digress...
This year's batch of chicks are 26 Black Star pullets. They are supposed to be phenomenal layers. I'm going to cull hard for quality this time. It's been my experience that if they don't get the kinks worked out after their first couple weeks of laying, they'll lay weird eggs all along. I wanted to try Buckeyes this year, but you have to order very, very early to get them. They are critically endangered. I am also interested in Black Copper Marans. I want a dual purpose bird, but I still put a high priority on egg laying.
I didn't start them out down there in the chicken barn because sometimes I see evidence of a black snake in residence under the building. Brand new baby chicks are small enough to be eaten by one. I leave him alone and he does his thing--and keeps the mice out of my chicken feed. It's a good arrangement.
I've learned my lesson the past couple years and we're trying to socialize this new baby cockerel early. I think he's going to be a Blue Andalusian. They offer you a "free mystery chick" with your order and you can pretty well count on it being a rooster. I've been letting Ava play with him and carry him around the yard with her.
Ava calls him the "little lellow (yellow) chick", but his official name is Little Boy Blue, for now anyways.
She's been "babysitting" the chicks, but really they are babysitting her. I've been getting so much done here lately while she keeps herself occupied with a chick. Every so often I make her go down to the chicken barn and switch out for a new "fresh" one.
She has called the black ones (whichever one she happens to be holding at the time) "Renna", which was the name of her imaginary friend, who is not so imaginary anymore now that Renna has morphed into being a "chicken friend". These girls should turn out to be very tame.
Ava is gentle with them and they go on all sorts of adventures together, hanging out in the sandbox or strolling around the yard. They've made their way into the house a time or two as well...
Here they are venturing together into the Tomato Jungle...
She didn't share with Renna, who would have really enjoyed a tomato by the way...
And they helped me pick sweet banana peppers...
More fun than a barrel of chickens!
Please pardon my sweaty, dirty little farm girl. She does clean up well though. Ha.
I'm still debating how to do this all-in/all-out thing with my layers. You can't help but get attached to them when they're around for so long. Most certainly you should not name them. Mark that one down in the lesson book--don't name anything that you plan to eat. I'm thinking maybe as fall comes on, I will go ahead and cull the worst layers. Most of the girls will be going into molt anyway. I will maybe keep the best five throughout the winter to keep us in eggs. I can't see any point in feeding the ones that don't pull their weight, but it will still be hard to do. From here on out, I'm going to get all chickens that look the same, that way I won't favor any.
Speaking of butchering, it's time to put in my order for fall broilers. I will be going with the Cornish X again. I have no complaints with them and those I've gotten from Murray McMurray Hatchery have always been strong and healthy. I had to buy a package of store-bought chicken breast the other day and it was seriously lacking compared to the quality of those we raised ourselves. I have just about used up all that I have in the freezer. I'm glad I made it as far as I did because we decided this year that fall broilers would be easier for us to manage and we'll have more time to process them in the fall. I'm going to go ahead and order 35 again.
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