Today we got 150 newly hatched chicks in the mail. We ordered from Mt Healthy this year. And so far I am very pleased. The chicks were hatched today and we go the call from the post office this afternoon that the chicks had arrived. They all made the trip and look good.
100 of the chicks are Cornish X Crosses (the yellow ones.) We are co-oping with several other families to raise these birds for meat. We also ordered 50 chicks "hatchery choice." I was expecting a mix of birds in this
group, but it looks like we got a straight run of Barred Rocks. They are the black chicks. I was actually hoping for a mix of chickens just to try a few different breeds, but I am happy with the Barred Rocks, and for the price, I can't complain.
The chicks are of course adorable, but getting them all settled while four kids "helped" was a little chaotic. The goal was to get each chick a drink and then place it in warm pen. The chicks kept trying to escape, and 150 of those little peepers all together is very loud.
Tonight Tim and I went and checked them after we got the kids to bed. They were much more settled, not to mention quiet. Many of them were zonked out for naps. I think we just sat there and watched and played with them for about half and hour. They are just too cute, when they are quiet anyway!
awww-how adorable!! We ordered chicks once(only 25, though)-barred rocks, buff orps, silver-laced wyandottes & red stars. The buff orps have been keeping us in chicks ever since. LOL I have one sitting on eggs now. Would love to get some auracaunas, though. The greenish eggs are so pretty! We did buff orp roosters for meat & they were free range. Too tough for roasters, but made the best chicken broth & soup I ever tasted. Would like to try the cornish rock crosses. I was scared away from them by hearing they break their legs easily, but a friend of mine tried them & she only had that happen to one of them. Holly
ReplyDeleteThey are so cute. I would love to have a place to raise some chickens. Maybe some day.
ReplyDeleteHolly,
ReplyDeleteDo you give your Buffs a separate place to sit? We had Buffs, and were supposed to get those again last year but the hatchery sent the wrong chicks...Anyway they'd go broody, but always got pushed off the nest by another hen. so never hatched any.
We do have one mixed hen that has hatched several clutches. She is an escape artist and always makes her nest away from the other chickens and well hidden from us.
I'd much prefer to have our laying hens come from our own stock, but we haven't been able to make that work.
nice articles!
ReplyDeleteJust keep going...