I know it is spring when the girls beg for chicks from our local farm store. We started our chicken house several years ago, and it has been a rewarding learning experience. We've learned a lot about chickens and eggs, life and death. This year, we got two Aracanas in my mistaken hope that we might actually own a hen that lays an egg. (Of course, that is if the two we chose are female.) The remaining five were bantam chicks (miniature replicas of full size breeds) which the girls prefer as pets.
The next day after purchase, Anna brought one chick to the house, its head lolling off the edge of her hands. The shock of the new home was too much for it, or it was weak in some way. Being close to animals, we have learned more just how fragile life can be.
We have one rooster and seven full size hens, which are aging. I get only one egg from the same hen daily, yet they all eat my chicken feed. Now, in the good old days, a farm wife would've taken care of these slacker chickens on a Sunday afternoon. Not here. We now run a retirement home for old chickens.
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2 comments:
We couldn't resist the chicks at the feed store either. We also ordered 14 new pullets from a hatchery. Our laying flock is aging, so I was sure we would need some replacements,but so far the old hens are proving me wrong. Between the ducks and chickens, we get up to 3 dozen eggs a day, and even a family this size can't eat that many! We take them to church and give them away when the fridge gets too full, and we've also started making our own egg noodles. We got a big incubator this Spring, and have hatched around 50 ducklings and chicks so far. Its a busy place around here. Have a great Spring!!"
Wow! That's a lot of eggs! Very generous of you to share them at your church. We are lucky to get enough for breakfast right now. Perhaps mine are not getting enough light, for they aren't free ranged right now. I am working on improving their "yard".
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