Which Came First?

This could be hilarious or it could be very sad!

We still have our incubators and brooders that we had in Texas when we were hatching eggs. We always had roosters but when we wanted different breeds, or new stock, we would order fertile eggs and hatch babies.

Vince told me I should ask my friend if she wants the incubators and brooders and I said “No, some day I may have chickens again!”

Yesterday we ran down to my friend’s house to get more eggs. Vince was waiting in the car and I was outside talking to my friend. We were far enough from the car that Vince couldn’t hear us but he put the window down and asked her if they have roosters. She said yes. I told her that he’s been wanting me to see if she wants the incubators and brooders but I’m not ready to get rid of them because I want chickens. She quietly said “Put some of these eggs in the incubator. They’ll hatch!” Hmmm . .

I was thinking – I could put the small brooder in the downstairs bathroom and Vince would never know and then . . guess what! We have baby chicks!! As much as I would love to do it, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Vince was going out to his shop today and I said “Would you bring a small incubator in?” He looked at me like . . why would you want that? Then, I think it hit him. There’s a rooster with those hens. I have eggs I can hatch. He said “That stuff is all in the storage building (rental – not here).

Later he came in and said “Do not even think of hatching chicks while it’s still winter.” Hey . . he didn’t say “Don’t even think of hatching chicks!”

As much as I want chickens . . why would I do it when my friend sells the eggs to me for $3/dozen and I get them the same day the hen lays them? This time of year, I would want to be running a heater in the chicken coop, we’d be having to haul water to it because we can’t leave a hose hooked up when it’s this cold. We would have to keep lights on their water or have it sitting on a heater to keep the water from freezing.

Vince would have to build a chicken coop. We’d have to fence off part of the yard so the chickens and dogs weren’t sharing the back yard. I would love to have chickens but not sure I want the work that goes along with it.