Spartagon
In the Brooder
Our office incubated and hatched these eight chicks. They were a part of the Embryology Project for the local elementary school children.
None of the educators were going be around for the weekend (5/15/15); so they asked me if I wanted to babysit? I was happy to do it.
Word around the office was that the chicks were going back to the owner of the hatchery and then sold as food for a snake farm. I was horrified! Especially since I had been talking to the eggs for almost 21 days. But, I felt helpless, after all, these chicks had a destiny--an owner. I thought, I will just bring them with me to my boyfriend's house for the weekend then return them. Well, I fell in love over the weekend. I couldn't let these chicks become snake food!!
I begged my boyfriend to keep them (It didn't take much to convince him. He shared in my horror.) I was due at the office on Tuesday, so I called Monday, and told them to tell the owner I wanted to buy them. To my surprise, they agreed! $2.50 seems like such a cheap price for these little lives; I bought them.
We were clueless. We are city folk. The chicks were days old so we had time to prepare. They grew so fast! We had them in a bin in the kitchen, then my boyfriend built a cardboard house.
We found an online coop. We finally got it 3 days ago-- what a piece of $@#%!.... $800!! I cried for hours that night as these 7 week old pullets stayed overnight in such unsafe conditions. Then I woke up at 4:45a again crying. So my boyfriend gave in, and we went to the Amish (We live in rural Pennsylvania USA.) and asked them to build us a fortress. My sweetheart paid $3000 for it. I can't wait until it comes!
So to make a long story even longer.... Our chickens are outside in that cheap coop covered in tarps until we get the Amish fortress with the 22 foot run. We moved them to the deck, and we keep the light on.
I couldn't resist, and I got 4 more chicks that arrived from the schools to my job; After all, I had to save them from the snake farm. Our total is 12 with 3 or maybe even 4 roosters. I know I know, I heard roosters are a hassle, but we made a commitment.
All this is new to us, and though its been stressful, its been a lot of fun.
My question to you is, will our roosters develop those spirs on their legs? If so, will they use them to protect the hens from predators? If they will, I can justify keeping them with the flock instead of on my dinner table-- I would make it a quick kill, not like the snake would.
