I've never had chickens before, but we moved out of town and into the country here in Central IL a little over a year ago, and now it's time!
We ordered 10 chicks from MyPetChicken.com, and they hatched and were shipped on Monday (still today to me since I haven't gone to bed yet!). So exciting! We're getting two each of five breeds: Australorp, Light Brahma, Salmon Faverolle, Speckled Sussex, and Welsummer, all for laying only. I'm not sure we'll be able to tell which chicks are Sussex and which are Welsummer until they get older, but I don't suppose it matters.
We haven't built the coop yet, but my 11 yr old daughter and I built an awesome brooder (if I do say so myself!) that we're keeping in the garage, and we're working on the coop plans.
We're a bit worried about how our 15 mo old Great Dane will react to them. She seems to think the world is her chew toy, and if it squeaks, all the better. So we'll probably wait to introduce them until the chicks are older, and then keep her on a leash around them until she decides not to try to "play" with them.
I'm sure I'll be posting a lot more on this site (I've already read a tremendous amount and learned a ton - thanks so much!!).
Till then, stay cool, everyone!
-Annalisa
We ordered 10 chicks from MyPetChicken.com, and they hatched and were shipped on Monday (still today to me since I haven't gone to bed yet!). So exciting! We're getting two each of five breeds: Australorp, Light Brahma, Salmon Faverolle, Speckled Sussex, and Welsummer, all for laying only. I'm not sure we'll be able to tell which chicks are Sussex and which are Welsummer until they get older, but I don't suppose it matters.
We haven't built the coop yet, but my 11 yr old daughter and I built an awesome brooder (if I do say so myself!) that we're keeping in the garage, and we're working on the coop plans.
We're a bit worried about how our 15 mo old Great Dane will react to them. She seems to think the world is her chew toy, and if it squeaks, all the better. So we'll probably wait to introduce them until the chicks are older, and then keep her on a leash around them until she decides not to try to "play" with them.
I'm sure I'll be posting a lot more on this site (I've already read a tremendous amount and learned a ton - thanks so much!!).
Till then, stay cool, everyone!
-Annalisa
