Chickens

Well the hubby and I had a great debate regarding the chickens. Should we order more. Should we not. Should we get a rooster. Should we not. It is finally over!

Say hello to our new flock of chickens or soon to come I should say.

Silver Laced Wyandotte

These birds are strikingly beautiful and practical. They are described as follows:

With silvery-white edging on their shiny black feathers, Silver Laced Wyandottes will be a lovely addition to your flock. These deep, wide- bodied birds are good layers of brown eggs and are very docile. Their close- fitting rose comb is an advantage in cold climates where single combs sometimes freeze. Average mature weight: roosters 71/2 lbs., hens 61/2 lbs.

I ordered them via the Ohio Meyers Hatcher (I wanted to support "local" business) and they will arrive in early March. We settled on 14 hens and 2 roosters, just in case we lose the common 10% we should be covered. The current flock will be retired and Jo-Jo my spunky Polish rooster will be re-homed (hopefully). Next spring we will purchase an affordable incubator and will try our hand at hatching our own replacements. The goal with these girls will be to let them have the run of the yard as our first flock did before the board fence went up. If that doesn't work we will be hastily creating chicken tractors for them.

No more frozen water!

As a splurge we purchase a electric water heater base for our chicken waterer. The boys (the hubby and teenager) are thrilled! Hope they are as thrilled to have another rooster or two in the coop. For some reason they are the only ones attacked by roosters. Weird.

I sometimes second guess myself when it comes to keeping farm animals in the suburbs. Mostly because it is so much more expensive then just going to the store and buying eggs or chicken meat. Sometimes the bottom line is all I can see, but the truth is that this idea of keeping animals or growing vegetables is the healthy choice and the right and humane choice for our family. I can't second guess that.

P.S. 
A friend called my hubby and told him he saw a fox crossing the street two doors down from us. We have had raccoons (that is a ridiculous story for another time), possums and skunks but have only lost a chicken to a Chicken hawk. The fox is new.