LJ's weakness for cute little baby critters, and the simple fact that I didn't say no (though truthfully, I like em too!), and we have new chicks.
Instead of allowing the gals to set this spring, we're replacing culls, given away, and sold hens with new stock. Still gonna end up with fewer birds, which is the end goal, after all.
The little lady in the pic is, if I remember correctly, a blue laced red wyandotte. Also have two more marans (for the darker egg colors), two jersey giants (because LJ wanted them) and two egyptian fayoumi chicks (because they're tiny and weird, and thus hubby couldn't resist). Reading about fayoumis, I found this quote on Wikipedia... "...if left to their own devices on a free range basis they can fend for themselves in a nearly feral manner." Great. That could be good, or very bad. *sigh* So, once again, there are chickens in my bathtub.
Upside of buying instead of letting the ladies hatch eggs... We know what we're getting, we don't have to feed useless roosters until they're up to some sort of butcher weight, and hand raising will get us new hens that aren't completely feral like the several of ones hatched last year. No joke, last year's gals are INSANE. If we have to catch them (because they're out AGAIN), they scream bloody murder and a couple of them BITE! Not pecking... I'm talking bite and twist. Stupid birds.
Anyhoo, it's kinda nice to have babies in the house again. Feels like spring. :)
