BeginnerCoopMom
In the Brooder
- Jan 17, 2022
- 13
- 49
- 41
I started my chicken adventures around Christmas when I was gifted two Roosters from my in-laws. Admiral and Commodore, the bros. Immediately, I was ready to start my flock, so I ordered 10 chicks from My Pet Chicken (what if some don't make it?) and 15 eggs from ebay (they can't ALL hatch, right?) so I could try to hatch a few in a homemade incubator for science purposes with the kids.
We built the big coop next to the rooster pen, large enough for 30 chickens (because, I mean, what if all 15 eggs hatch?)
Eventually, 3 hatched from my incubator experiment a day after my shipped chicks came, so I had 13 chicks in the brooder. But I can't tell if the hatched ones are boys, and I can't keep all the boys, so I kept saying I really only had 10 chickens (Admiral and Commodore are my bois.)
After a while, the brooder-babies moved outside, and my favorite hen-to-be Dumpling turned out to be Mr. Dumpling, so I reeeeally only have 9 chickens now, because I mean, the three I hatched could all be boys, too.
I went to the feed store to get food, and there were black sex-linked pullets. So cute! And they are totally all girls, you know, to make up for my boys. One was missing feathers, so I had to take it to baby. I have to buy a minimum of 4? Done. I have 4 in my brooder.
Scrolling on ebay I found a lot of 6+ eggs with pretty birdos. Possible Ayam Cemani? Silkie? Only $6 plus shipping? Heck yes! They can't all hatch, you know, being shipped. And they can't all be girls, so I mean, you know, gotta up those chances.
So I'm sitting here staring at my incubator. Of the 8 eggs I received, 6 went into lockdown, and now the 6th egg is zipping.
I had to rehome Commodore after he kept ditching us to spend time with the neighbor's chickens. So there's room for at least one more...
We built the big coop next to the rooster pen, large enough for 30 chickens (because, I mean, what if all 15 eggs hatch?)
Eventually, 3 hatched from my incubator experiment a day after my shipped chicks came, so I had 13 chicks in the brooder. But I can't tell if the hatched ones are boys, and I can't keep all the boys, so I kept saying I really only had 10 chickens (Admiral and Commodore are my bois.)
After a while, the brooder-babies moved outside, and my favorite hen-to-be Dumpling turned out to be Mr. Dumpling, so I reeeeally only have 9 chickens now, because I mean, the three I hatched could all be boys, too.
I went to the feed store to get food, and there were black sex-linked pullets. So cute! And they are totally all girls, you know, to make up for my boys. One was missing feathers, so I had to take it to baby. I have to buy a minimum of 4? Done. I have 4 in my brooder.
Scrolling on ebay I found a lot of 6+ eggs with pretty birdos. Possible Ayam Cemani? Silkie? Only $6 plus shipping? Heck yes! They can't all hatch, you know, being shipped. And they can't all be girls, so I mean, you know, gotta up those chances.
So I'm sitting here staring at my incubator. Of the 8 eggs I received, 6 went into lockdown, and now the 6th egg is zipping.
I had to rehome Commodore after he kept ditching us to spend time with the neighbor's chickens. So there's room for at least one more...