June 29, 2010
We are David and Lance from Cincinnati, Ohio. Although Lance raised chickens back home along the eastern shores of Virginia, this is my first experience. The thought of raising chickens never crossed my mind until we rescued a floundering Canada gosling from the Ohio River at about three days old.
We were out one Saturday for a bike ride and first heard the "chirping" out in the river. It was a bad weather day with white caps on the river. "Drifter", as he became known, was all alone and being slammed up against the shoreline. On the spur of a moment our hearts kicked in and we couldn't bear to see him struggling. We knew he would die. So...we took him home.
That was the start of our love affair...
About 2 weeks ago, realizing that Drifter was growing his flight wings at an exponential rate, we found a local professional, liscenced waterfoul rehabilitator and took him to her. She just happened to have a Canada gosling about his same age (6 weeks), so she took him in and he is living happily ever after.
We, on the other hand were NOT. We were sad and missing the love that this furry, feathered friend had provided us both.
My partner suggested that we consider raising chickens from chicks. That way, we could experience daily that love and at the same time, enjoy the gathering of eggs, and most importantly...WE COULD KEEP THEM!
So, after some brief discussion, we embarked on our new chicken adventure on June 22, 2010.
On a sunny, warm summer day, we went and purchased our first chicks...ten of them, born that day, from a local hatchery (we are fortunate to have the Mt. Healthy Hatchery in Finneytown, Ohio, just 10 miles from our home). We had originally decided we would buy just six, however, after purchasing a custom built 4' x 8' x 6' tall hen house at a great price ($420 from a man in Lexington, Ohio), we decided the we could take on a few more girls (NO boys...we live in the city limits).
As fortune would have it, we had already retrofitted a large dog cage to be a brooder for Drifter. With a few slight modifications, the chicks were set to go.
In Cincinnati, it is rather hot this time of the year, so our chicks (just one week old today) have already been outside several times pecking away. They are eating every ant in sight already. My partner says that by the time they are full grown, "no insect in this yard will be safe". From what I can see so far, I have no doubt.
We are just starting our adventure, so there will be much more to come. The picture below is of our girls. Our family of ten currently consist of two each of : Buff Orpingtons, Hubbard Golden Comets, Barred Plymouth Rocks, Auracanas, and Dark Brahmas.
Photos : 6-22-2010
The whole family 6-22-2010 Golden Comet chick 6-22-2010