Crazy Chicken Lady

(Me and #RuppertTheRooster)

We have chickens. And by we, I mean everyone else puts up with me having chickens. Which is hilarious because I don't even eat eggs plain. (something about the smell/taste makes me nauseous) The rest of the family on the other hand, inhales them! But I've had them now for about 3 years, when my former neighbor asked me if I wanted a few from his flock. That's when it all started. They really aren't that much work. You fill a feeder and waterer a few times a week, collect some eggs, and move a coop around the yard. My guys free range, so that adds some extra obstacles. Like chicken proofing your garden, and flower beds, and making sure they have a predator proof coop to go into at night. (Something which is still a work in progress.)

I started out with 5 hens. It was exciting and fun, and Xander (my oldest currently age 3.5) was amazed with them. I ended up getting a few more over the past 2.5 years from neighbors who bought younger birds, and gave me their older ones. At one point I had 25 birds, 2 being roosters and the rest hens. Eventually either natures other animals, weather, or old age claimed all but 4 of my flock. I was only getting an egg or 2 a day So this winter I decided to get some chicks for the first time. I needed fresh young birds, some that would lay eggs every day.... That's where the chicken math started.

I ordered 26 chicks online. 10 meat birds, and 8 Delaware's and 8 Dominques.... Well while I was waiting for my online order to come in (4-6 weeks) I ended up acquiring some chicks from local feed stores. 6 Amerucana's, 6 Black Sex Links, and 3 Golden Comets. So when it was all said and done I ended up with 43 chicks, since I got a few extra in the mail as warmer chicks. (It's really hard to walk into a place that has live chicks just there peeping away and not get any, when you have a brooder ready to go at home!)

I won't start getting eggs from my new gals till about June/July, but I plan on harvesting my meat birds this Sunday. They are so fat and plump they don't walk or run anymore they just kinda waddle everywhere. So next week we should have a few new carcasses in the fridge and freezer, and a buttload of eggs mid summer.