Not sure why they don't give chicken breeds "fun" names. Admit it...you would buy a Wookie-Poo if you could right?
New chicks should be here on or around March 5th. Decided to go with another mixed flock. I ended up combining my order with 3 other people to save on shipping charges which split 4 ways will end up around $3.50 per person. Can't beat that. Here's the list of all the breeds we ordered; 25 chicks in all.
Barred Rock *
White Rock *
Partridge Rock *
New Hampshire Red *
Golden Buff *
Delaware *
Rhode Island Red
Silver Laced Wyandotte
Black Australorp
I added a couple extra chicks to the order to get us to the next level to save more on shipping. I told a couple of the other people I ordered for that they will be getting "bonus" chicks. The '*' ones are what I selected for my flock of 12. The NHs & GBs I had the last time & they were great layers; consistently laying 6 eggs/week/bird. The rest will be new breeds for me. From what I've read they should all get along nicely. Nice weather days like today makes me wish they were already here. Can't wait for March to get here.
That sounds like a nice assortment of chicks. I have the Barred Rocks, you will love them, they are egg laying machines, right through the heat, cold, molting, whatever & their eggs are just huge. I just got two new pullets in that breed to start some more & they should start laying in about 3 months. I also have the Partridge Rocks, they're all right layers, not as good as some others, but in the good category. I also have the RIR, one full breed & two RIR/Buff Orpington crosses & they're all super layers, nice big brown eggs. I have the Black Australorps also & they're probably in the good category also for laying, cute little things, pretty calm. They do tend to go broody a lot though, I'll warn you about that. I had one broody most of the time last summer. I have the Gold Laced Wyandottes, but have had the Silvers previously & they're pretty reliable layers too, at least mine have been, I have two. I'm getting some Silver chicks in a couple of months as well. I have a very diverse group of layers in my main coop, but I like that. I like all the different colors & personalities they have. I'm glad you're getting back into chickens, you have to jump right back in, I'll bet you have missed them.
Well I got all the trough feeders put out in the pens today to feed the FF in. I discovered though I will have to cut another one for the main coop, I didn't make it long enough for all the chickens I have, so I will do that tomorrow. My chickens in the main coop just gobble that stuff down like I'm feeding them something wonderful, so I'm happy about that. The turkeys still aren't too sold yet, I guess it will have to grow on them. The peafowl took to it today though, they were chowing down. Then when the guineas saw them eating it they decided well if it was good enough for them we'll try it too, so they started eating it too. The only thing I don't like about it is the mess it makes when you're getting it out to take out to feed, that's the only downside I can see right now. That will be taken care of when I can move it outside.
It was so nice out today it was wonderful, it really makes me have spring fever, I can't wait for it to get here. I had intended to get something done in my coop today, but with making all of those feeders this afternoon it didn't happen. By the time I got all of those done & in the pens it was time to start feeding, then it got dark.
My DH must have what you all have had, he has been coughing his head off & has been in bed feeling awful for the last two days, not like him at all. I have had a kind of raw throat today, so I sure hope I'm not coming down with it too, I just don't need that right now.