We chose to buy a straight run of chickens this spring. We were interested in a few laying hens, but this was the least expensive way to purchase chicks through the mail. I totally did not know what “straight run” meant. But husband explained that it was sort of a “take what you get” assortment of boys and girls. We were told that chances were we would get more roosters than hens from our purchase.
Well, we got the cute little babies in April. Twenty-five adorable silver-laced Wyandotte chicks.I couldn’t tell them apart. That was okay, there was plenty of time for them to grow up and become more distinguishable from each other.
Time went by…. Two of our “babies” started looking like roosters….pretty red combs and wattles and long shiny blue black tail feathers. Everyone said, “Just wait….there will be lots more…” We waited…. Still no more roosters.
But our boys started looking quite striking and one day….there was a Cock-a-doo! It wasn’t quite a Cock-a-doodle-doo. Amelia called the roosters Cockadoodle and Doo because neither one could say it all.
They kept practicing and nowdays there is an occasional pretty respectable crow. We give them plenty of praise for their efforts. But…. Still just 2 men in the group.
However, they seem perfectly content to partner in guarding their 23 lovely beauties.
All of them free-range during the day and it is so fun to see them enjoying their favorite places on the farm.
The garden…. The compost pile…And the almost finished chicken coop that husband is working on.
They look like a family impatient to move into their first new home…walking through the construction zone on a regular basis to make sure the contractor is following the plan.
So, maybe no wonderful home grown chicken dinners this year. But hopefully a LOT of pretty brown eggs!
6 Acre Dream 