Wyandottes!

I drove to E-town today and picked up some Blue laced red Wyandotte eggs and a few Silver laced Wyandotte eggs. My Black Copper Marans hatched this week (8 out of 14). I'm a little disappointed with that hatch, only because I feel like I must have done something wrong. I picked the eggs up myself, so I can't blame the PO. Oh well, 8 is a good start. I just need to get some more Faverolle eggs and hopefully get a few hens out of the hatch and I'll have a good start to my breeding flocks.

I'm still having a terrible time getting rid of the 25 roosters from the first hatch. Things are getting backed up because I have no where to put the 50 5-week old pullets until the roos are gone. The pullets have taken over the storage shed and I finally just turned them loose in the backyard and lock them in the shed at night. The Rolle Patrol have front porch duty and are STILL sleeping in the house at night. I've been trying to find an idiot proof design for a small coop for them. Any ideas?

Momma Maddie, Precious and The Rolle Patrol

Today was such a change from the last few weeks. It was so sunny and warm, I opened up all the windows and grabbed up the chicks (salmon faverolles and a silky) and threw them outside. They spent the whole day in the flower beds out front - with momma Maddie to chick sit, of course. I could tell you all about it, but pictures are just so much better! As usual, the rest can be seen here.

The Rolle Patrol

Maddie's Little Pez Dispenser

I'm in love with this beard. I can't wait until the roos are all grown. I just love my Faverolles!

"I saw this on Karate Kid."

I love love love my chickens. I thought I'd get a few laying hens so I could have fresh eggs. I had no idea that I would become psychotically obsessed with them. All I can think about, now, is chickens. Breeding chickens. Buying eggs. Building coops and runs and planning what breeds I want. I had to go out and buy an incubator (okay, I bought two) and now I have over 50 chicks that I had to build a new coop for in the barn. There's another 50 on their way, too. I posted an ad on craigslist and within a few hours I had more responses than I had pullets. I already have claims on the chicks that haven't even arrived yet. (I ordered sexed pullets from a hatchery this time.) I guess I will be processing the roosters for dog food. (I am just not ready to eat my chickens, yet.) I love them too much. This could be the start of my eventual demise.



One of my handsome roosters. He's very sweet, not at all aggressive.


The barred rock bunch.


This is Shabutie, the stray chicken that started it all. One of the dogs brought her to me as a gift. Wasn't that sweet? Shaboots didn't think so.