Actually I wouldn't mind having one good snow, either. It would help kill off parasites overwintering in the pastures. Plus, it's pretty.
The only thing in my incubator right now are quail eggs, due this coming weekend. I've only recently separated flocks, and started a worming rotation. As each flock gets wormed, their eggs will go to incubation rather than just get tossed or be dog food. Right now the POL pullets are being wormed. By the time they are done, I'll do the Welsummers, which will have been separated plenty long to guarantee who sired them. From there it'll be the BBS English Orpingtons, followed by the general layer pen, which has my Buff Orpingtons, Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers. The Golden Cuckoo Marans will be getting test crossed, one-on-one, to pin-point who is carrying vulture hocks and who is free of it. I'll worm them as they rotate through the breeding pens. I'm waiting on a new Buff Orpington cockerel to take over those girls, but while they wait they just get to be layers.
I'm not sure where my chicken direction is going. I'll need to sort it out soon. Hubby's contract job will likely be ending later this year, which will change our financial picture rather dramatically. I had planned on selling the English Orps, then decided to keep them...but they may have to go anyway. Ugh. I hate making choices like that. We'll see as we go along.
Enjoy the day. It's my long day at work. But I brought baby bunnies for my students to ooooh and aaahhh over, so it should be a fun day, anyway.
Do you need a Buff Orpington Roo? I have a friend with an extra...very nice rooster and good to his girls.
I think I've all but decided to get chicks from a hatchery for most of the hens that go broody, probably Wyandottes and/or Brahmas. If Mother Clucker goes broody, though, (100% hatch rate for two years!) I may get some eggs from a friend who has leghorn hens and the Buff Roo I mentioned above
