In February, we received 71 chicks from a no-kill, NPIP hatchery located in the Midwest. I have been really pleased with this hatchery. I have received three batches from them. The health of the chicks are very good when they arrive. As with any hatchery situation, there are bound to be a few that fail to thrive, but so far, with this hatchery, we usually only lose one or two.
Last weekend, we rehomed 45 of the chicks at the ages of six weeks and seven weeks. We have 25 left. 15 of those are promised out for rehoming over the next three weeks. That will leave us with 10 of the originals received in February. Fingers crossed that none are roosters this year.
Two of this year's originals do have some health issues. One has a cervical deformity that does not seem to slow her down as she is growing at the seem rate at the rest, she just looks a bit odd. The others don't seem to notice her deformity. Then we have a dwarfish pullet. A Rhode Island Red. She is fast but has been picked on a little, with some feathers missing from her backside. She will stay with us on the farm. She's not slow or sluggish like the dwarf we had a couple years ago. She may simply be more like a bantam.
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Next week, we will pickup 50ish Cornish Rock Crosses, and six pullet Color Pack Blue Layers that we will likely keep for ourselves but may rehome some at six weeks.
