We cannot go back to Tractor Supply. We absolutely cannot go back to Tractor Supply. We will not go back to Tractor Supply . . at least til April 13, when Chicken Days are over.
We have officially outgrown the coop that isn’t even finished yet. The builder will be here tomorrow and we’ll see if he can think of an easy way to make an addition on to the coop. The new coop is already a bit bigger than the old coop and it’s big enough for 15 full size chickens. Our chickens stay outside all day and will only go inside at night so if we end up with a couple of chickens over the recommended amount, I’m not real worried. Our last coop was big enough for 12 chickens and except during the time when we had snow and ice and they were “cooped up” inside for days, we could easily have had 20 chickens in there without issue. When they were stuck inside for days and got on each other’s nerves, I think 2 chickens inside there were too many. Here, I doubt we have feet of snow or lots of ice that keeps them inside so we may just go with it as it is and watch them closely.
Here are the new babies:
We got 5 bantams and 4 of them are Silkies. The only one that isn’t a Silkie is this one in the front and we go it because it has the cutest little gray wings. Can you see the dark blue beak on the second one back? They have dark blue skin too. If you aren’t familiar with Silkies, look at them here and here. They are adorable. They were straight runs so I’m sure there’s at least a rooster or two in the batch. I’m just hoping they’re not all roosters.
They aren’t much bigger than a big cotton ball right now. They are just the cutest things!
We wanted 8 chickens . . we have 21. Did I say that we’re not going back to Tractor Supply til they are no longer getting chickens?
Liz says
Hmmm… who decided to get these new cute chicks – you or Vince? I keep reading that Vinve always wants to buy more shoes, shirts, printers, _________, etc, that I’m sure it was Vince who picked up those lovely little things, Right? 😉
If there a rooster in the batch, are you going to keep him? Of course, then you wouldn’t have to go to TS for more chicks.
Amy @ Heritage Homemaker says
I feel your pain! I got my shipment of American Barred Hollands yesterday. One has crook neck so I decided to do a video series on treating it. Be sure to stop by my blog and watch it. Wish I would have had a video when our first case of crook neck happened three years ago.
We are now at 33 chickens…whew! Eight were the free “packing peanuts” (free extra males) that were in the shipment yesterday that are sometimes added for warmth.
Judy Whitehead says
21 chickens, if all hens equal HOW MANY eggs per day? LOL Will you be selling eggs or how will you use them all. I’ve heard of freezing them, but have never known anyone who has actually done that.
Helen Koenigl says
I’ve frozen them. You can freeze whole (I really wouldn’t advise this), yolks separated from whites (whites will still whip up nicely). You can also DRY them – although it takes a commercial dryer for that. You can also store them in waterglass which is how they used to be stored – but the whites will NOT whip for anything – and the texture (and I think color) changes slightly – I have the recipe somewhere).
eggs per day – supposedly 1 per chicken daily during laying season – starting after they are 3 mos old or so. However – chickens Moult – and won’t as a rule lay during that time. Plus unless there is additional sunlight or some sort of light added (to supply vitamin D I suspect) laying is WAY down during the winter months. But during the actual laying time – OH MY!
You can feed commercial feed – or mix your own (preferable esp since the commercial stuff has additives that carry through into the eggs – including at one time arsenic – not now I don’t believe however – that was outlawed maybe 10 – 15 years ago).
Free range birds – eggs are larger, yolks a deeper yellow – almost orange, whites are thick – not runny like commercially raised – and the taste is different – sort of hearty! MUCH preferable – and the yolks sort of standl right up in the pan and say “Here I am”!!!
Doreen says
And non-quilters wonder how we get our “stash” built to enormous level!!! It, somehow, ‘just happens’! lol! You are in your ‘happy place’ now….run with it! I am so happy for you both!!!! Hugs, Doreen
marion usborne says
I love the Bantam, so cute. Never seen them before.
Janna says
No more Tractor Supply for you Judy, no will power when it comes to chickens!!
Deb says
If its not too much work you might want to consider an addition that you can seperate those bantams from the rest. We have had bantams a few times in the past and they always had to be serrated from the flock. Ours were alway mean!
But I never learn, their just so cute!!
pdudgeon says
that’s what i was thinking too, that it might be better to separate the bantams. i was worried about them getting squeezed off the roosts or shooed away from their food by the bigger chickens.
chickens have a pecking order, and they might get squeezed out because they’re smaller.
Deb says
My experience is that adult bantams PICK (or should I say Peck) on the bigger chicken! Little trouble makers they are. And the only rooster that pecked me was a bantam – but it might have been because I was shooing it away from the other chickens.
Karen says
I had to laugh – I saw your headline & my first thought was “Oh my gosh, they got more chicks”. They are so cute and you sound so happy. Good for you and Vince.
Gari says
When I was a child the bantums ran loose on the yard and the chickens were kept penned up. I love the sound of roosters. We have three around here that crow before the sun is up and all morning (sometimes in the evening). It is such a nice sound to wake up to. And they seem to talk to each other over several acres of space.
Sara says
Ok, I just had to laugh. You see, I had this very same problem, in varying degrees over the years, but it was often with horses…….or angora goats……or calves…..or dogs……..well, you get the picture.
Too funny!
Denise ~ Justquiltin says
Buying chickens appears to be as addictive as buying yarn? LOL I do love these – they look like a Jim Hendersen Muppet creation when they grow up with all those feathers.
Elizabeth says
Do you see that one little guy looking sideways at the other chick? I think he was hoping he would hop away and leave that food for him to finish!! Very cute little chicks!
CJ says
Ah… soon you will jump onto the free ranging method simply because you’ll outgrow anything else :). Once you make that step, it’s all over! You’re getting close! LOL
glen in louisiana says
Next we will hear the chickens have the house and you have the coop!
glen
Alma says
I see lots of omelets in your future! Right now they sure are cute.
Toni in TN says
Awww!! They are so cute. I’ve been waiting since last summer for chicken stories. More chickens equals more stories!!
Helen Koenigl says
ROFLOL!!!!! Judy – you are sooooooooooo much like me! That “song” you sang – is so much like the one I sang when I said – “Nope! No more goats/chickens/kitties/dogs (well, not so much on that one – I love dogs – but too many become a pack – and around farm animals – not so good!)”
Did it work? Nope! Instead I wound up with one of the largest goat herds in IL (I’m in MA now – and did NOT run away from too many goats!), had over 100 chickens (most of whom hid their eggs successfully until they would proudly walk up to the coop with babies in a single line), and had 11 kitties – now thinned down permanently (I hope) to 5.
Don’t make silly promises! LOL – you KNOW that’s just setting the stage for more “NEEDFUL” trips to the tractor supply store! whether by you or Vince (and sending Vince or kids along does NOT work – that’s how I ended up with 11 kitties!)
Judy D in WA says
I am not laughing! I stay away from our Wilco farm store for that very reason! I started out with 4 new chicks, kids went back and got 4 more. That’s it!
Judy Whitehead, I freeze extra eggs. 2 per snack baggie, poke the yoke, make sure they are sealed, put in a freezer zip bag. I use them for baking when production is low or family needs more eggs that I have.
Sandy says
I am laughing too because you will have to be doing alot of baking and cooking to use up all the eggs you are going to get. If you have a rooster or two in that mix, you will have an alarm clock that you won’t have to set every night! The little chicks are so cute that I can see why you came home with more. I think you will have plenty of room but it is probably a good thing you don’t go to Tractor Supply for a few weeks.Hehehe!!
Donna K. from N. TX says
You guys are hilarious!!!! Soon you’ll have to move out of the sewing room to house all your grown chickens!!!!! The silkies are darling.
Linda S says
Well, in your spare time, you can sit at the farmer’s market and sell eggs!
Linda in NE says
Chicks are just too cute, so irresistible. Around here it’s Bomgaars you have to stay away from…..they’re the store with little chicks & ducks in the spring.
lw says
Baby chicks, just in time for Easter, and by next Easter, you’ll have tons of eggs. I’m jealous, I’d love to have my own chickens,
Gwen says
I’m guessing the one that was sick is okay? Is she back with the others? Have fun!
Helen Koenigl says
you are soooooooooooo baaaaaaaaaaad! I HAD to look – and they are without a doubt adorable chickens. I looked at the cackle whatever site – and there are the most BEAUTIFUL birds there – totally fell in love with the Houdans and LOVE LOVE LOVE the Polish chickens! The tail feathers on the Phoenix rooster are just gorgeous!
I MISS my chickens!!!!!!!!! I can see already that my son is NOT going to be happy with me – am thinking that perhaps next year I’m going to get some Houdans, phoenix and Polish! Where I live (city) is zoned – BUT you CAN have pets – and a few hens (sorry, no roosters – has to do with crowing – and tendency for some roosters to use spurs for fighting!) – but only a few – like maybe 5 or even up to 10 – although 5 would be more my speed! (Hmmm – wonder if I could have a pet goat or two – to keep each other company????)
vickie van dyken says
awwww so cute!! I can only have dogs, they can go with us. I just found out I get (?) to go to Mississippi and Baltimore next week! DH doezn’t have a TWIC card and these are berry picker machines going on a boat…somewhere. I sure hope the weather is good 🙂 Oh and I have the app on my phone that shows nearby quilt shops….hehehehehe evil laugh……Gotta get some handwork ready?? Hey maybe I could make a couple of pairs of socks??? That sounds like a good idea….I am making my first sock now. It isn’t perfect but it works for me!! I tried and failed to make one….then I saw that my girlfriend had made a pair, they were sooo cute. I said if Cindy can do it so can I…..and I got some better yarn. Maybe that was the problem in the first place. I guess it’s like fabric, you have the good stuff and the not so good stuff. Anyway I am on the heel now and you can see it’s a heel, ok I was excited LOL …. I think that will be a good thing to take with…..
Winona says
Oh Judy, this is why I am avoiding Orschelns till mid April. We have chicks and ducks coming in May. I will just have to be patient. Those Silkies are adorable, but as others have said, you may have to separate them from the regular flock. The last time I bought straight run banties (bantams) I ended up with 7 roosters and a pullet who did not make it. That is why I decided to order my chicks. I do not want almost all roosters. I’m not good at picking the pullets out evidently. LOL Have fun.
Carla in Ma says
That family or yours just keeps on growing. LOL
They are so cute.
Cari J. in YC, Cal says
All I can say is Speck is so out numbered by cows and chicks
Sheryl says
Hee, Hee, Hee. We started with a dozen and now we have 31.
Linda B in MI says
thankyou for the cluckle, meant chuckle
Candy says
See I told you that you needed silkies. Lol