Last year I started with 22 chicks (my first flock) and all the chicks survived to adulthood. Then fall came around, the corn got tall, and the coyotes came while I was away at work. They and/or the stray dog that someone dropped off at my farm took out exactly half of my chickens.
Now that spring has rolled around again, so have "chick days" and I find myself traveling with a little cardboard box full of chicks not once, not twice, but three times already this year! I finally faced up to what I had done and counted the little, beaked faces in the brooder--sixteen! Then I consoled myself by thinking, "At least they aren't horses!"
Then, to top it all off, I have one Rhode Island Red hen that is going into her third week of being broody and my Easter Egger just started as well. I've decided to leave the girls to it--the bugs will be bad this season and if either one of them are successful it will be interesting to see what the crosses end up looking like, since my roosters--an Easter Egger and a Silkie--ought to prove to be two very different genetic contributions!
Here's my stock so far:
1--Easter Egger Rooster
1--Easter Egger Hen
2--Barred Rock Hens
2--California White Hens
1--Black Sexlink Hen
1--Black Silkie Rooster
3--Rhode Island Red Hens
2--Black Sexlink Pullets
2--Buff Orphington Pullets
2--Black Australorp Pullets
1--Self Blue Old English Bantam chick
2--Black Cochin Bantam chicks
1--Black Frizzle Cochin Bantam chick
1--Red Cochin Bantam chick
1--Red Frizzle Cochin Bantam chick
1--White Frizzle Cochin Bantam chick
1--Partridge Cochin Bantam chick
I wrote "chick" for those kids who haven't disclosed their gender yet.
I think I'll end up with quite a variety! It's really fun to see what they grow into and how they turn out, color and temperament-wise. Also, they're so much cheaper to feed than 25 horses would be! That's good enough justification, right?
...right?
*tap, tap* Is this thing on?
Ah, well. Time for me to close up the coop for tonight. Goodnight!
~J
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