I deliberately waited until today to make my feed store trip, because I knew they'd be out of most of the popular breeds and, being a hatcher, I wouldn't be tempted by any straight run bantam chicks.
But I lost my BR hen over the weekend. I don't have any other BRs. Maybe, just maybe, the feed store might have some of those left.... I had a small box in my car, so I carried it in with me.
Recognized as soon as I came in (HA!), I was asked how my flock is doing - because I bought Corrid V last week to treat an outbreak, which took several of my younger chickens and my BR hen, Betsy. I told her I was looking for a couple of Barred Rock chicks.
"We're all out of hens," said the gal who always wants to hear about my TJs chick and Fritzie the frizzled Cochin. "All we have left are roosters and sex-link hens." (The employees there don't say "pullet" or "cockerel.")
Oh, okay. I just need feed, dog food, and pine shavings.
As she was marking up the "pull sheet" for my supplies, the gal said, slowly, "Would you be interested in a project chick?"
What's a project chick?
"We have a little Black Jersey Giant girl with spraddle leg, we separated her to treat it. She'a out of her splint now and doing better, but she still needs a little extra special care. She was lonely so we put a Brown Leghorn in with her. Come see."
******
How many people know exactly what happened next? Raise your hands!
One cannot buy just ONE chick. The Brown Leghorn was the very last non-sexlink pullet chick in the store. So she came home with me, too.
I paid for the Brown Leghorn and the supplies. The owner - a pretty grizzled fella - patted me on the shoulder and said, "I'm glad. I know she's going to a good home."
AND - this is also important - the gal is interested in three or four of my currently hatching Silver-laced Cochin chicks for her personal flock! (Hope she doesn't want them sexed....)
But I lost my BR hen over the weekend. I don't have any other BRs. Maybe, just maybe, the feed store might have some of those left.... I had a small box in my car, so I carried it in with me.
Recognized as soon as I came in (HA!), I was asked how my flock is doing - because I bought Corrid V last week to treat an outbreak, which took several of my younger chickens and my BR hen, Betsy. I told her I was looking for a couple of Barred Rock chicks.
"We're all out of hens," said the gal who always wants to hear about my TJs chick and Fritzie the frizzled Cochin. "All we have left are roosters and sex-link hens." (The employees there don't say "pullet" or "cockerel.")
Oh, okay. I just need feed, dog food, and pine shavings.
As she was marking up the "pull sheet" for my supplies, the gal said, slowly, "Would you be interested in a project chick?"
What's a project chick?
"We have a little Black Jersey Giant girl with spraddle leg, we separated her to treat it. She'a out of her splint now and doing better, but she still needs a little extra special care. She was lonely so we put a Brown Leghorn in with her. Come see."
******
How many people know exactly what happened next? Raise your hands!
One cannot buy just ONE chick. The Brown Leghorn was the very last non-sexlink pullet chick in the store. So she came home with me, too.
I paid for the Brown Leghorn and the supplies. The owner - a pretty grizzled fella - patted me on the shoulder and said, "I'm glad. I know she's going to a good home."
AND - this is also important - the gal is interested in three or four of my currently hatching Silver-laced Cochin chicks for her personal flock! (Hope she doesn't want them sexed....)
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