I have been planning and discussing the idea of chickens and eggs with my wife over the last few years and finally, this year, I decided to do something about it. I even got my sons involved and they have the wood to make me a shed/chicken coop. After several "talks" with my lovely bride, we decided that six chickens would be the best number, giving us the eggs we need and extras, too.
We were going to get them on Weds morning with a trip to Angola to Rural King for the chicks and necessary equipment AND a little side trip to a couple of other stores for some things we thought we might want but didn't really need.. We awoke to a snowstorm and decided that two old farts didn't need to be out on the highways in that kind of weather. So it was delayed to Thursday.
Thursday came and our #3 son called needing some help and could we come to the Detroit area. We said, weather permitting. So we headed to Detroit on Thursday with hopes of getting our chicks on Friday. That idea quickly dissipated when we realized we would be staying overnight and probably not be getting home until late on Friday night.
Our #4 son called to let us know he was coming to visit over the weekend. He had no idea what I had in plan for him! LOL.
Saturday morning, my #4 son in tow along with two of his daughters, my granddaughters, Zora and Keeley, ages 6 and 5, we headed to Rural King in Angola, Indiana.
I was informed I needed to buy EIGHT chicks, one for each of the younger grandchildren and great-grandchildren. HUH? I was buying egg layers, I wasn't buying pets!! My lovely wife instructed me to get one chick for each of the grandchildren - Hailey, Cora, Zora, Keeley, Jaxson and Makayla plus the great-grandchildren, Gracie and Easton. Guess I was buying pets that also laid eggs!
Okay, not my original plan but something doable. Hey! I was getting my chicks!!!
Here they are:
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| 3 of the 8 chickens |
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| 5 of the 8 chickens |
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| All 8 huddled together |
The last picture does have all eight chicks in the picture. There is one hidden at the very top, getting a drink - you can just see her butt. Yes, her. These are all pullets - hens. No roosters. These will be our egg producers.
Actually, I call the last picture - Everyone in the pool since they all went scurrying up to the water tank when I stuck the camera in to take a picture. They are currently "homed" in a 55 gal aquarium that once was a turtle habitat. I figure that the current residence will be good for at least two weeks, maybe even three. Hopefully, by then, the coop will be a reality, otherwise, I will need to figure out something else until the coop is built.
BTW, two of them already have names. I didn't plan on naming them but since Zora and Keeley went along, one is named Emily, another is Hannah. Don't ask me which one is who, I don't want to get to friendly with my future food. Yes, food, at some point, but not pets. No pets!!
They will soon be visited by their cousins - another 25 chicks I will be buying for butchering after raising them for 8 weeks. If that works, my wife says we may consider another 25 to definitely fill the freezer for the winter.
ALSO, I will be getting two tom turkeys to raise. Then again, we might up the ante on them to 3 or 4. I mean, turkey is good. My nephew raised one several years ago. Come Thanksgiving, it dressed out over 32 pounds and was soooo delicious. I'll be happy if they are 25 pounds when it comes time to butcher.
Well, this is Farmer Bob signing off...
Until next I ramble on...
Writer, editor, gardener, now egg farmer. Is there anything you CAN'T do?
ReplyDeleteEgg farmer - LOL. The hens will be doing all the work, laying the eggs. With a little luck, my wife will feed the chickens and collect the eggs. Me? I'll be like the rooster we don't have and strut about, all proud.
DeleteOur son made his first chicken coop out of wooden pallets. I blogged about it and it remains my highest viewed post. His children name their chickens but they have no qualms about eating them. Good luck with your newest project!
ReplyDeleteThe coop/shed is still to come. Wait for THAT story! LOL.
DeleteToo much work for me! I once raised a litter of pups and it was torture! I'd rather have one pet who licks my hand and adores me. I'll get my eggs at the grocery store, but I wish you luck! (Don't ever name an animal you hope to eat later.)
ReplyDeleteLOL. When our American Eskimo had her pups, the vet told us to look for a special mark to know which pup was which. When we told him what the breed was - all white dogs - he said to use colored yarn on their paws. Mama licked those off - I used a thick Sharpie and marked each paw for the first four and then the front paws and the back paws for numbers 5 and 6. If she'd had more, I would have had to left side and then right side. We had a blast raising them. As to names? Names = pets and pets = no eating. I let the granddaughters call names but I did NOT allow them to pick one for the name. With luck, they'll forget the names... okay, one can hope. LOL.
DeleteYou are in so much trouble since you named them... I can't imagine how cool it will be to have fresh eggs. Please let us know if they taste different!
ReplyDeleteI -- I didn't name them... my granddaughter said the names were Emily and Hannah. That's two and they weren't specified - so I'm basically safe. She's six and I figure she will forget the names by the time she gets back down here. As to how the eggs will taste? I won't know since I don't eat eggs - not really allergic, you just don't want me eating eggs since they make me deadly sulfuric! Need I say more?
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ReplyDeleteNothing like fresh eggs!
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