Every 3 years I refresh my chicken flock, keeping the old hens and adding new ones. I've got 6 old ones and hoped to add 12 babies. They are in high demand, hard to come by and much more expensive this year. The Farm Store was selling 2500 on Friday and they were expecting to be sold out that day. We weren't sure if we'd go in so DH had picked up 6 chicks at Tractor Supply on Thursday when he went in to get some metal, but we ended up pulling poor E out of bed just after 5 and drove the 56 miles to town, thinking we'd have to wait in line. Surprisingly, there wasn't one.
It was fun to introduce her to the new babies
She's an eager egg collector
At the Farm Store, you get 6 chicks if you buy a 50# bag of start and grow so I bought a dozen. 18 is more than we need, but I share eggs with my in-laws and my long arm quilter, and DH thinks there may be some attrition here in the mountains. These little fuzzballs are too cute.
This year we added 2 black Sex-links, 1 California White, 3 Chocolate Orpingtons, 3 Easter Eggers, 3 Production Reds, 3 Buff Orpingtons, and 3 Bard Rocks.
An empty water trough makes a great brooder and they stay warm with a heat lamp in the shop
They won't begin to earn their keep for about 18-20 weeks, but it's fun to watch them grow and peek in on their antics. Their little feathers are already beginning to emerge.