Haven't posted anything lately. Not that we are not doing anything, just nothing to really post about. We did get some really cold and blustery weather mid-January with temps dropping down to 0°F and knocking lots of trees down. Lasted about 10 days and ended with freezing rain. So that was exciting. Thankfully, this year, we only lost power for a few hours, a couple of times, and so we didn't need to spend a lot of time trying to keep birds alive. As it was, we were able to keep them locked inside their coops with lights and water fount heaters that allowed them to drink and eat and stay relatively warm.
February wasn't too bad. Mostly wet until the end of the month, when it started getting cold again, and had a few snow showers that didn't stick for very long.
We ordered about 70 chicks from the hatchery located in the mid-west of the country. The chicks typically arrive on the second day after shipping and always seem really healthy. We did lose one chick that seemed to be a failure to thrive situation. It simply was not growing. But, the rest have survived beyond the typical die-off stage/ So we are up to our armpits with chicks at the moment.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
We still have eight of the pullets we started last spring. Plus, we have an older Barred Rock that was returned to us by a customer who decided she wasn't wanted any more. That Barred still lays an occasional egg, and settled in with the flock.
We just sold the two 20 month old hens we had held over from 2022. They are still laying fairly well, but we are changing things up and plan to buy three Novogen pullets that are just starting to lay (that were raised on another farm last October).
This year's breeds are Barred Rock, Blue Sapphire (Rock), Gold Comet, Color Pack Blue (lays blue eggs), Rhode Island Red, Buff Orpington, and Welsummer.
