Next thing on the list...
Looking out my kitchen window, in my minds eye, I could imagine our entire little farm laid out.
The spring/summer “project list” had been edited and scratched out more than once, with “painting the backyard shed” placed in the number one spot.
It was the first thing I could see from my kitchen window.
That shed had to be “really cute” …yes we are starting a farm, but our farm was also a “hobby farm” Hobbies are to be enjoyed, right?
Enjoyment for me is having everything around me, pleasing to look at and neatly organized. (please don’t look at the pile of, “never throw that away, we may need it mound”, behind the barn. lol!)
But painting the shed, had to wait until spring. So the next thing on the list was…getting chickens.
THE CHICKEN CATALOG
All winter (2019) we watched YouTube videos and vlogs, read blogs and looked on Pinterest for ideas of how to raise and care for chickens.
NOTE: Chicken Math, is a “term” we had been hearing about from every chicken blog, vlog and article we read. It’s the only thing we couldn’t get our heads wrapped around.
A friend of Ken’s had given us a chicken catalog…yes friend, there is such a thing as ordering chickens through the mail!
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/catalogrequest!input.html
Our grandkids were over the moon and had the thing dog eared, circled and highlighted with the breeds they wanted to get.
Chicken Math
We told our 4 grandkids, they could choose 1 chick each and we would order one each, for a total of 6 chicks.
After studying the “chicken catalog” we determined you couldn’t just buy 6 chickens. There was a minimum of 25! So I guess we wouldn’t be using the chicken catalog after all.
Now for some reason my daughter Emily, a math teacher, (…maybe this is how the chicken math started?) bought a few chicks for her daughter Lucy, at Farm & Fleet.
Even though she bought all the correct supplies and set up, one died. Our granddaughter was absolutely devasted.
Birds of a feather...
Evidently, the term” birds of a feather flock together” is a true statement…when it comes to chickens.
Suggestions from long time chicken owners to buy chickens at least in pairs, was mentioned in many sites, so we took it to heart.
Lucy had a “buff orpington” ( that she named…Bernie Sanders, lol!)and three brahmas, that she was bringing here.
… what happened to our deal that each grandkid got to pick one chicken?
And so chicken math begins.
Buff Orpington: Lucy bringing, 1 chick
Here is what that breed looks like from chick to hen.
Light Brahma: Lucy bringing, 3 chicks
Chick Days
At the farm store in our town (Farm & Fleet), starting the end of February through the end of April, they have “Chick Days”.
Every Friday they receive a new order of baby chicks (up to 200 a week!) you can hear the little cheeps as soon as you walk in the store.
Check the Labels
The baby chicks are housed in extra-large storage bins that are divided in half with thick cardboard.
Each side has a heat lamp clamped to the top edge. The bottom is covered with pine chips, a small watering and food dispenser is in each side.
Dividing them by breed and labeled according, you can tell the attendant which ones you want.
Each breed is either labeled:
Straight run, Pullet, or Cornish cross
Here is what we learned…
Pullets= Hens under one year old
Cornish Cross= Chicks raised for meat only
Straight Run chicks= Randomly selected chicks, that have not been professional sexed
Chick sexers= (you can’t make this stuff up) are professional people that determine the sex of a one-day old chick…with 90 % accuracy
You get what you get...
Sounds fairly simple, find a few breeds that you like, have the store associate put them in a box…and go home.
No…nope. Here’s what happens: When there is only one chick left of a breed. Sometimes, they put it in with another breed!
Or somehow the straight run gets mixed up with the pullets.
So now you buy 5 chicks that all look kind of similar…and 6 weeks later you realize that you don’t have ONE of the breed you selected, and maybe a rooster got thrown in there!
As my best friend Sandi would say, “You get what you get, and don’t throw a fit”
Start with a few chickens...
Did we listen to this wise advise?
…uumm no.
Who could resist those adorable chicks!
This has happened to thousands of people that shop a farm store in Feb March or April every year …the baby chicks are irresistible!
This is what we brought home...
More pictures of the chicks and when they grow up to be hens!
1st picture= Black Australorp : 4 chicks
2nd picture= Golden Laced Wyendotte: 3 chicks
Below:
1st picture= Olive Egger: 3 chicks
2nd picture= Barred Plymouth Rock: 3 chicks
Below:
Hatchery Choice= 3 chicks
We thought it would be fun to pick a few mystery chicks. They turned out to be
Easter Eggers…Real name! They lay pastel colored eggs, from pink to blue.
Chicken Math is Real...
With Lucy’s 4 chicks… that makes 20 chicks that we started with at
Sweet Tea Yankee Farm.
Of course that was three years ago! Chicken math stories will return in another chapter, lol!
Next time Baby chicks are named…, paint color is chosen for the backyard shed and the chicken coop renovation begins. Thanks for visiting!
Fondly, Sandy
We always ordered from McCurry. I loved driving to the post office to pick up the chick’s. People were like ” you get Chickens in the mail?”
Penny you are so sweet to keep up with our story!
Fondly, Sandy
Sandy I know you so well. If you didn’t tell me who it was writing I’d say “that’s a Sandy story”. Your stories always have a little humor mixed in and when you text lol I can see and hear you laugh. Funny Girl.
Thanks Linda!
Hi Sandy, my name is Donna and I live in PA. You are living my dream! We can’t do what you are doing that’s why I love reading your blog and seeing all your pictures. I’m living vicariously through you, I guess that’s what they say lol. Have blessed day!
Hi Donna! You never know what life will bring! Our little farm is lots of hard work but really rewarding and fun too.
Thank you for the encouragement!
Fondly, Sandy