Gathering My Chick Supplies!

This is either my Tansy or Marguerite taken shortly after I brought them home.

This is a then two year old  Jaidy's first look at the new babies. Love her expression!

I'm getting excited! New chicks should be in my brooder box next weekend. I picked up a second brooder lamp a few days ago. My original lamp is in the Hen House chasing the the ice from from the girls water bowl. After I clean out the Hen House this weekend I am putting the plastic waterer back in place. Sage is the messiest hen I have ever endured! So the plastic waterer will be hung from the rafters under the lamp and there will be clean water for the two girls. I also purchased another chick waterer and chick feeder along with a bale of Aspen bedding. Monday I will make a quick before work run to Bloomington to pick up 50 pounds of organic chick feed. I do not use medicated feed ... ever. If the chicks are healthy and are receiving fresh, clean water and food. If they are in a clean, well kept brooder box I see no need to feed medicated feed ... just my two cents.

Still waiting to see what chicken breeds the local farm stores will be offering this year. I know I will definitely be buying more Red Stars.They lay the best jumbo brown eggs I have ever eaten. I hope to find Black Stars too. Barred Rocks are a possibility and Americanas (Easter Eggers) are on the short list. My friend Sara has Australorps and I have heard good things about them being a friendly, gentle bird. I think Miss Jaidy would like them. She enjoys petting the girls and my Tansy was a favorite so Orpingtons are on the long list.

It is going to be hard to keep my count down to a dozen new girls. I first thought I would just add ten but the lists keep growing so the numbers also keep growing!

Call me Fickle.

Love those fuzzy faces!

Could you say no to one of these sweet faces?

I have been waffling back and forth over goat breeds that would work best for my small homestead. I love the funky look of the La Manchas. They also have many attributes that would work nicely for this new goat herder and maybe one day I will be able to add one to my herd but just not right now.

With all that considered I think I am going to go with the Nigerian Dwarf goats. They are of small stature, have higher butterfat, seem to be more readily available in my area and are just darn cute. I love the goats with blue eyes and moonspots. I want a colorful mini-herd of two or three. Being a dwarf breed I can easily handle them plus the enclosure I'm planning will be plenty roomy.

I stopped at the Tractor Supply on my lunch hour to ask the manager if he had any word when "Chick Days" would commence. I learned they will be getting chicks at the end of the month. My expectations are running high to find different breeds to add to my dwindling flock. I know I definitely want more Red Stars for their jumbo brown eggs my family loves. Rhode Island Reds are on the list too. I hope I will be able to find Black Stars and a few Cochins too for a colorful flock.

My flock of hens now stands at two. Yarrow and Sage are the only residents of the new hen house Daddy and I worked so hard to build. My newish girl Parsley began crowing early last week. Parsley had been living on my little farm for months so it with total shock I heard crowing coming from the hen house. I called the friend I bought the newest girls from and she couldn't believe it either. So now the rooster, formerly known as Parsley, has been returned from whence he came. No roosters are allowed in town.

Better head home. The temperature is in the low 60s and I have a few outdoor chores to take care of before we get rain. :)