Selling some of my chickens... it's bittersweet.

[danceswithronin]

Earlier today I made the decision to rehome my three bantam silkie pullets through a local chicken swap. I have six large fowl chicks coming into the coop in the next few weeks and I was afraid the silkies would be bullied during integration; besides that, I wanted to have a little more wiggle room to buy new breeds later. Silkies were a great "beginner" chicken for me to cut my teeth on when I knew nothing about chickens, but I am much more interested in rare breeds, especially large heritage breeds like silver laced Orps and Jersey Giants.

That being said, they have been awesome hens. They are prodigious layers and very sweet-tempered. Raising them last summer was one of the best experiences of my adult life. But now that I have full-on caught the chicken bug, I've gotta graduate to something more exotic and difficult to acquire.

Luckily they were all bought as a trio within five minutes of me posting them, so I know they'll all go to the same home with a guy who knows his stuff. That makes me feel better about selling them since they get along so well.

Now I have room to bring in some more rare breeds at least. But I'll miss my little floofs.

 

[aart]

Bittersweet is the perfect word.

 

[danceswithronin]

Bittersweet is the perfect word.

I really liked the guy I sold them to last night, he's a major hobbyist so I know they'll be well taken care of. I felt completely comfortable giving them to him after talking to him. He is a middleman for the Amish or something like that, buys poultry lots for them. He has a silkie roo he wants to give

And I have three new chicks coming in late July now to take their spots in the coop later, after I've built a new larger chicken house in the next few weeks and finish the aviary enclosure/run around it - a White Sultan, a Silver Spangled Hamburg, and a Dominique.


So as of 2019 my final flock will be:
Golden Laced Wyandotte
Golden Laced Polish
Silver Laced English Orpington
Black Jersey Giant
Speckled Sussex
Easter Egger mix
White Sultan
Silver Spangled Hamburg
Dominique

I think the only patterns/colors I'm missing that I would like is a blue and a partridge or a penciled bird, and if the Easter egger mix turns out to be a cockerel I'll rehome him and probably get a lavender or blue Orp if I can find one. Or a Dark Brahma.