I Bit the Bullet and Ordered Chicks

[Aunt Angus]

Love this!
Good luck with your order! I ordered from Murray Mcmurray once, it was an okay experince. I lost one runner duckling. It was terrible, not nearly as horrible as your loss, but it still sucks. Surely everything will arrive alright. I'm crossing my fingers that you either find a better source, or your order goes just fine.

Chicken math, amirite?

I hope so, too. I ordered my first 4 from a "middleman" type hatchery, and all was well. It's nerve-wracking. I didn't want yo order the geese, but I wanted specific breeds, and they are harder than chicks. They're also coming from about 3 hours away. I'm hoping Metzer allows pick up orders again before the goslings ship. I'll gladly drive 3 hours for geeses!

 

[Weeg]

Chicken math, amirite?

I hope so, too. I ordered my first 4 from a "middleman" type hatchery, and all was well. It's nerve-wracking. I didn't want yo order the geese, but I wanted specific breeds, and they are harder than chicks. They're also coming from about 3 hours away. I'm hoping Metzer allows pick up orders again before the goslings ship. I'll gladly drive 3 hours for geeses!

If its only 3 hours they'll be just fine. Thats not far at all. Did you order the chicks from Metzer? If they have the breeds you want it may be the better bet. 3 hours isn't that long. It can be days in the mail for other orders, and chicks can still come out just fine.
Yes! Chicken math! I have ALV and I'm still considering keeping a Cornish X from this years batch...
Or two......

 

[MottsHomestead]

Ah, losing babies is always hard. We've lost a few, and it never stops sucking. It's one thing when you've lost a grown chicken you raised - that pain is still terrible and swamps you for a bit, but at least you know you gave them a great life.
But when you lose a baby chick, it hurts in a different way. On one hand, you don't really know them. They haven't been a part of your life yet. But what hurts most is knowing they did not get to live their life. They didn't get a chance to know your warmth and kindness. That hurts a lot.
I am glad you decided to order some. Those sound like very nice breeds. When's the order due?
I sure hope none are DOA.
Good luck!

 

[Aunt Angus]

So I'm adding a Blue Cuckoo Maran and an EE Frizzle.

If I keep this up, I'll have to raise my limit to 22 to get all the breeds I want (but with my rooster, ducks, and geese, it's more like 30).

 

[MottsHomestead]

So I'm adding a Blue Cuckoo Maran and an EE Frizzle.

If I keep this up, I'll have to raise my limit to 22 to get all the breeds I want (but with my rooster, ducks, and geese, it's more like 30).

That is some solid chicken math.

 

[MottsHomestead]

That is some solid chicken math.
View attachment 3017997

By this chart, we have......negative too many chickens.

 

[Aunt Angus]

If its only 3 hours they'll be just fine. Thats not far at all. Did you order the chicks from Metzer? If they have the breeds you want it may be the better bet. 3 hours isn't that long. It can be days in the mail for other orders, and chicks can still come out just fine.
Yes! Chicken math! I have ALV and I'm still considering keeping a Cornish X from this years batch...
Or two......

I ordered my current ducks and future geese from Metzer. If you order chicks from them, they come from elsewhere. This batch is coming from Meyer, which is in Ohio. I'm in CA. My original 4 chickens (my gateway flock, if you will) came through California Hatchery. Silly me, I thought it was a hatchery in California. It's a middleman-type outfit.

 

[Aunt Angus]

By this chart, we have......negative too many chickens.

YASSSS. This. Imma show this to the hubby. It'll make it all clear.

 

[Aunt Angus]

By this chart, we have......negative too many chickens.

And I just realized that you said "NEGATIVE too many chickens." I don't want to be negative too many chickens. I have to add more to bring the number back up to the right amount.

Oh, thank you for setting me straight!

 

[MottsHomestead]

YASSSS. This. Imma show this to the hubby. It'll make it all clear.

How can he argue? I mean, it's true. By this chart, the number of "chickens" greatly decreases. Because if it lays eggs, is for sale, breeds hens or is meat, it's a contributor to the family. If it has a name, it's no longer "just a chicken."
If it's a little chick, then it's not a chicken. 1/8th of a chicken, maybe.