It started innocently, we were working outside and the rain was coming which ended working outside. I suggested we run to the feed store to get chick feed. The decision had been made to increase the flock size by hatching eggs. Then maybe in the next year or so as needed to would buy eggs and hatch those to maintain the flocks size but keep the gene pool from becoming a stick rather than a tree.
We have started buying our feed from a store in Peru, Indiana “Family Farm & Home” they are the closets retailer of the Kalmbach foods. You can view their website here: https://www.familyfarmandhome.com/
Now I have been strong for the last three years not once have mentioning getting chicks. Two things happened on Sunday that broke me. The first was one of the hens was loved to death and the second was that when candling the eggs there was no movement. By now there should be a very clear chick inside the eggs that should have hatched today. When we saw the tubs of chicks and then saw that they had several breeds we don’t normally find here in town AND knowing that I’m not up for buying chicks and having them shipped to us (not at the prices they charge) well all Bill had to do was mention buying some and I was looking for a store clerk.
This might be controversial but I like Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, and ISA Browns. Some say that Barred Rocks are aggressive and stand offish but they have a place in my heart. The first chick I ever saw hatched was a little Barred Rock and Pesky was pretty sweet. Some say that Rhode Island Red roosters are mean and I won’t deny that but Max is a Rhode Island Red and he is pretty chill. Maybe that is because he was the smallest of all the chicks and he had four Barred Rock females to keep him in line. Maybe it’s just his personality whatever the case we kind of like him. They had Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds at the store but what caught my attention were the Mystic Maran’s. Why? I don’t know they are rumored to be second to the Barred Rocks in being bullies but they are also known to be very calm. Large bodied birds that don’t have the best egg to feed conversion rate but we are not trying to sell eggs just have enough for our own use. I also like that some of them have feathers on their feet it’s kind of cute. Since they are a cross breed between Barred Rocks and Copper Marans you get traits from each breed popping up which makes them kind of fun. They also are rumored to go broody which I’m not against if they will hatch the next batch for me then that means I won’t have to play with the incubators again. This last incubator round had a lot of problems.
You might notice that we no longer use a heat light instead we use the EcoGlow and love it. We also use the nipple water bottle rather than the open water systems it’s so much cleaner and this time we have the feeder hanging too. Right now I have chips in for bedding. I happened to have them on hand from the previous chicks otherwise I would have used the coffee grounds that we switched to in the coop.
I will leave you with a picture of the new office staff.
