Newest addition to the family

[Smart Red]

Here are the newest additions to the family: Born May 12, 2015.

All crowded together because I was standing over them.

They were supposed to be "Hatchery Choice" an assortment of 15 heavy pullets -- guaranteed a minimum of five breeds. What arrived were 16 barred rocks. I am not particularly happy about it. The store clerk traded three Cherry Eggers and three Road Island Reds for six of the Rocks. Very nice of her.

Sheesh, I could have gotten three breeds of my own choice for less than the charge for this "mix", but the Grands wanted mixed breeds.

Still, what's not to love with these fuzzy chirpers? All are happy, healthy, and settling in here in south-est, central-est Wisconsin. Now I have chickens in the coop, chickens in the garden shed, and chicks in the sun room. The boss acts like he isn't terribly thrilled, but stands and watches the chicks for a long time.

 

[Beekissed]

Very cute!! It never gets old to me, no matter how many times I see chicks...they are just a little fuzzy miracle on legs to me. I've got three broodies sitting on eggs right now and I can't WAIT to see these families racing all over the meadow foraging for food.

 

[Smart Red]

I have one broody, Tres Olivia, sitting on a clutch of eggs as well. I really don't need more chicks for this year. We shall see what happens. I love watching a hen mother tending her chicks a whole lot more than being the mother to a flock of 16 chicks.

When are you expecting?

 

[Beekissed]

One clutch should hatch May 23rd...those are from intentional breeding of WR male and three females. The other two should be sometime in the first week of June...they are sitting on "farmer's choice" eggs. The second broody went broody last week when we went on a fishing trip for a week and the eggs mounted up in the coop while we were gone...anyone's guess when she started to sit on 21 eggs, but the other broody just went yesterday, so I split the 21 and gave the spare broody 7 eggs to sit. They are all ensconced in the nursery pen and this oughta be a fun spring!

 

[Smart Red]

Mine started about a week or so ago with six eggs. Then, after about 4 days, she got off to eat and switched to another nesting box. With the first six now cold, I scrambled the eggs and fed them to the animals. The hen is now back on a new clutch of eggs and hopefully will keep them cared for until hatching until about June 10.

 

[Nyboy]

I think the red heads are so cute !!!

 

[baymule]

I bought 12 golden coments and put them in a large dog crate in a bedroom. I feed, water and change papers twice a day. I greet them with, hello dirty birdies! You little piranhas, gimme that food tray! Get back in there! Noooo! Stop pooping on your water tray! Dirty birdies y'all stink! .....and so on.

Today we're going to Tractor Supply for cow panels, hardware cloth, fence staples, hog rings, etc for building a hoop coop. It will become my grow out coop when I get my permanent coops built. And the dirty birdies can move OUTSIDE and do what little dirty birdies do.

 

[Nyboy]

Bay your going to love golden comets !! They where my favorite hens, they would follow me like a dog. They are egg laying machines, mine laid a egg everyday even in winter.

 

[baymule]

@Nyboy they are very friendly. I got them for eggs this winter. I have 6 old hens that are laying OK right now, but will quit when they molt. I can't wait to get these outside so they can have some chicken fun.

 

[so lucky]

Red, those barred rocks should be good layers too. Mine lay nice big eggs with huge yolks. The mix you ended up sure is cute!