lutz123
Songster
Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into me. I've been hemmin and hawin about getting chickens and guineas for almost 6 years now, but kept deciding against it because I didn't think I'd want to be outside in the dead of winter caring for chickens. I don't have a current "thing" so first I got a saltwater aquarium. I had it 3 weeks before I reacted to a deadly toxin in the tank and it laid me up for a month. (Tank went - yes, I have had saltwater before). Then I decided I just want a new dog. (Coton de Tulear, have you seen them?) DH balked a little on the $2000 price tag for a dog which I understand...plus we have an American Eskimo/Cattle dog mix that isn't fantastic with other dogs.
That brought be back around to chickens. Hmm. I suppose I could try it. It's just a farm animal - I can always sell everything if I don't care for it, right? That was probably April 5th. By April 8th I had 8 day to week old straight run chicks - 4 BO, 4 BR. Scary gross farm (and nasty chick conditions/poopy butts everywhere)...I actually left with the chicks because I was scared to tell the lady that I changed my mind.
They turned out to be great! Less than a week later I bought a dozen guinea eggs. (Heck, why not?) Then I went to the feed store the following week and there were 2 guinea keets left in the brooder. Well, I couldn't just leave them. And of course you have to buy 6. I bought the 2 keets, 2 RIRs, and 2 BOs (the RIRs & BOs were pullets so that would make up for what I now think are a number of cockerels in my first bunch, right?) Oh, and there was a scrunchy headed BO chick missing it's eyes so I brought her home with the hope of at least making her comfy for a day or two.
She passed the next day. I lost another of the feed store BO's a week later for some unknown reason. Then, I was at the feed store yesterday and there was a brand new shipment of guinea keets!! Well, I had just candled my eggs a couple of days earlier and I think I only have 4 viable. Since I, and my LG bator, will likely (in my rationalization) have issues with the hatch and only get one or two at most, I should get more keets! So I got 5 - 6 seemed like too many...plus they had Ameraucanas too! I added an Ameraucana. (Poor girl is awfully confused being in with 5 hyperactive keets. She just wants to sleep! And eggs are due to hatch early next week.
I have 3 different brooders and an incubator - in my dining room. Keets are due in a few days. And here's the best part...I don't have a coop or chicken yard yet!!!
I don't plan on keeping everyone - should be easy enough to move on since I don't plan on asking much, if anything. I wanted 4 or 5 hens total - maybe 6. And I would like to start with 8 guineas, but 10 would be okay. We have tons of predators so I really don't expect them all to make it through the end of the year. And by the way, I don't have a coop yet because the math shows I'd be in it for $3000 - $4000, which I'm having trouble justifying for myself. Our coop would be really obvious from the main road so it has to be decent looking, and the ground is very sloped. Um, my hubby is probably thinking we should have gotten the puppy. But, knowing me, we would end up with chickens too! At least I put my foot down when it came to the pekin ducks my girls wanted.
What on earth is wrong with me??
That brought be back around to chickens. Hmm. I suppose I could try it. It's just a farm animal - I can always sell everything if I don't care for it, right? That was probably April 5th. By April 8th I had 8 day to week old straight run chicks - 4 BO, 4 BR. Scary gross farm (and nasty chick conditions/poopy butts everywhere)...I actually left with the chicks because I was scared to tell the lady that I changed my mind.
I have 3 different brooders and an incubator - in my dining room. Keets are due in a few days. And here's the best part...I don't have a coop or chicken yard yet!!!
I don't plan on keeping everyone - should be easy enough to move on since I don't plan on asking much, if anything. I wanted 4 or 5 hens total - maybe 6. And I would like to start with 8 guineas, but 10 would be okay. We have tons of predators so I really don't expect them all to make it through the end of the year. And by the way, I don't have a coop yet because the math shows I'd be in it for $3000 - $4000, which I'm having trouble justifying for myself. Our coop would be really obvious from the main road so it has to be decent looking, and the ground is very sloped. Um, my hubby is probably thinking we should have gotten the puppy. But, knowing me, we would end up with chickens too! At least I put my foot down when it came to the pekin ducks my girls wanted.
What on earth is wrong with me??
