New Chicks!!

My baby chicks have arrived and I go pick them up this evening.
We had 56 hens and 3 roosters a year or so ago, but as we let them free range, the dogs in the neighborhood got to them and plucked them up one by one (sometimes 3 by 3).
Well, we were given the opportunity to purchase some more when someone else was placing an order but didn't need the full minimum that had to be ordered.
They are exactly one day old and when K called to let me know they were here, you could hear them all in the background chirping.

So we are starting over. I will still allow them to free range...ONLY we have a smaller chicken pen on wheels that we will move them around the yard in. This will keep them safe from dogs, hawks, and other animals, but allow them to eat all the bugs and insects they want.

They won't start laying eggs for another 2-3 months, but I can't wait to have some fresh eggs again. In no way are store eggs good. Once you've had fresh eggs, you won't want the store bought kind. They just don't have the texture or flavor of fresh eggs.

We will add more hens as time goes by, this spring, the local feed store will be selling chicks and we'll pick up some then, but these will be laying eggs by then and we won't have to wait for the babies.

The children will be selling some of their eggs for their own spending money so if you are interested, let me know. They will be around $2 a dozen, but keep in mind they are fresh eggs.

Then be on the look out for another post announcing that we have sheep and goats. Yep, that's next. We will have meat, eggs, and milk to eat and drink, with the addition of a garden. Man, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! ;-)