My Final Chicken Decision!!!! (Really)

[swampducks]

Either yesterday or today was the last day the feed store was taking orders. I already ordered 10 Cornish meat chicks and 3 guineas but was feeling bereft not getting any other chicks all because DH (Hal) has become allergic to egg whites. My neighbor still hadn't ordered his though (he forgot) and I had a long talk with Hal and we came to the decision that if my neighbor decided to get some, I'd go along and get 6 (and ONLY 6) laying chicks. Otherwise, I'd just suck it up and have no chickens this year once the meat birds were culled.

My neighbor decided he didn't want to bother. I told him my plight (which I am sure Hal had not planned for) and convinced him he really needed his 10 meat chickens. So he acquiesced and we went to Miller Feeds and he ordered his 10 and I ordered 6 Barred Rocks!!

I'll be raising all of them (his and mine) in my garage for the 2 months the meat birds require (I do intend to let them outside with supervision), in the meantime I'll have to figure out what sort of house to build for 6 chickens (or less, if they turn out to be mostly roosters) and 3 guineas.

Hal is even going to be on the lookout for a cheap used camper/other box-like structure, to possibly house them. I can't believe getting 6 little chicks could make me so happy. I do hope I like raising chickens... :|

 

[Frizzledhen]

"I do hope I like raising chickens"

Odds are you will and odds are you won't be satified with 6. This time next year you will back at the feed store ordering more. Then comes the incubator and another coop for just a few more.
Chickens are addictive.

 

[Cheep Mama]

Best of luck with your chicks and I'm sure you will love having them!!! Next year you will probably have more!!!

 

[swampducks]

This time next year you will back at the feed store ordering more. Then comes the incubator and another coop for just a few more.

Oh, I expect I'll be getting more next year, but not layers.

DH's egg allergy took care of that (I was getting 15-20 straight run layers). Consequently, I let Hal off the hook on building the large chicken coop this year which means we now have to come up with something for my 6 chickens.

For next year, I am now thinking free ranging meat chickens like Dark Cornish (something with small combs because of the cold weather) that are pretty self sufficient so I can avoid the need to cull a bunch of meat chickens all at once. I want to go towards more sustainable farming kinds of practices and only kill a bird when I want to eat one. Plus I'll already have my little Barred Rocks from this year for eggs.

I think I'll be able to control my chicken urges (I can always borrow my FIL's incubator, he's got some of my duck eggs right now). I think this summer I'll work on a chicken run in which Hal can put the coop I'll need for next year. And I can probably create something small for 6 chickens. I own a hammer and I know how to use it.