Interesting Reading

I am reading some interesting articles that talk about the benifits of free range/pasture raised eggs. This one, Meet Real Free-Range Eggs from Mother Earth News explains how pasture raised chicken eggs compare to egg factory "free range" eggs. Egg in the market that say free range only means they have access to the outdoors - not that they have access to a normal chicken diet that pastured chickens have. Studies show that chicken eggs that are laid by chickens with access to bugs, weeds, grass, sun and air can have • 1/3 less cholesterol• 1/4 less saturated fat• 2/3 more vitamin A• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids• 3 times more vitamin E• 7 times more beta carotene. I find that amazing.
Well, since the Delightful Dozen are only 8 weeks old and the earliest I can expec egg is around 22 weeks, I guess I have some time to wait before I am producing my own Pastured Eggs LOL.
Pictures this weekend I hope. Maybe later today when I get rid of this headache.

In and Out of the Coop

The Delightful Dozen are getting used to the coop and run. Today was the first day they went back up the ramp and into the coop on their own. That was this morning, by this afternoon, they seem to have forgotten. LOL

I had to reconsider what types of chickens the Delightful Dozen are. Front and center is one of three red ones. After looking and considering and asking for opinions at BYC, I have decided that they are Red Star pullets. So this is the count:

2 Dominiques

2 Golden Laced Wyandottes

2 Minorcans

1 White Easter Egger

2 Easter Eggers

3 Red Star

6/18 Update: We went to the feedstore that we purchased the chicks from and now I "know" what kinds they are, LOL:

2 Barred Rocks aka Plymouth Rocks

2 Gold Laced Wyandottes

2 Black Australorps

1 White Easter egger

2 Easter Eggers

3 Red Star

Chicks in their run

The chicks are out in their run for the first time and boy are they having a great time.

Fresh Eggs Later

We were at Big Lots! yesterday and I found this sign. It is too perfect! The red and green match the colors of the coop and run. But now I am thinking I need to add some yellow highlights. Humm, we will see.

Sorry

No pictures today of the flock!I intended to do a photo shoot but we were busy building the Chicken Coop Palace! And DH has to measure everything multiple times and then cut, (some sort of guy rule - we girls just use the pattern and cut along the lines). Tomorrow I will paint our pretty green for the run and get some pics to post of the Palace and the future occupants...
Our big news is that I am 92% sure on our flock. (11/12 = .9166) 2 Dominiques, 2 Gold Laced Wyandottes, 2 Black Minorcas, 6 Ameruacanas (easter eggers). Little Big Bird had us going, but now I am pretty sure she is a White Ameruacana. We should have lots of egg colors!
Two others have names, the tiny Dominique is Toy and one of the Ameruacanas is Curious Georgette. 3 names, only 9 more to go.... LOL

May Already

The first day of May is here and it is lovely. The chicks are pretty low key today, lots of sleeping, eating, sleeping again. I think they are growing. It is amazing how self sufficient they are, at this age a baby parrot doesn't even have its eyes open, much less feeding itself.
We will have baby senegals pretty soon and DH will be feeding them every 3 hours from 7am until 11 pm. Each time we have baby parrots we have to think about scheduling trips around their feedings. Not a problem with the chicks, just keep the food and water fresh and clean and they are good to go. But this weekend I will be cleaning out the brooder and putting in totally fresh bedding. That will be interesting.
More pictures this weekend, as time allows!
DH is outside planning and cutting the lumber for the hen palace. You will see pictures of that too. As chief (or is that cheep) painter, I already have paint on my fingers!

A Week Tomorrow

The chicks will have been here for a week as of Wednesday. I took some more pictures, I didn't get all of the 12, but I always seem to leave someone out! The group shot - everyone look at the box and smile!

This is 1 of 2 chicks that I think might be Gold Laced Wyandottes.

Here are 2 of 3 suspected Araucanas, I can't hold 3 at the same time!

Here we see 2 of 2 possible Red Stars.

2 of 2 possible Black Minocas, the one on the right is by far the smallest of the flock but she is doing just fine.

And here is the one and only Yella Fella - who seems to be sprouting white wings, still trying to figure out this one.

And these 2 of 2, who knows! LOL

Photo Op

Today we took individual and buddy pictures of the hen team. Aren't they cute?

Still can't be sure what we have but the top one may be the Gold Laced Wyandotte, the ones in the middle are most likely our Ameraucana (Easter Eggers because the eggs will be shades of green and blue!) and of course Yella Fella - the unknown is on the right.

Another possible Golden Laced Wyandotte on the top and a possible Black Minocas in the middle with a possible Red Star on the bottom. How fun is this?

Obsession

So not only do the people in the house stop by to look at the chicks every few minutes to watch and report on the chicks, we now have a dog that wants to check on them too. When I got home from Open House at my middle school, Jubilee, our 2 year old EC kept trying to lead me to the chicken box. She wanted me to look then she could stand up on me and look in the box too!

I think she would climb in the box with them if she could. When you hold one up next to her, she just sniffs and then looks at all the rest to make sure they are ok. She has no desire to do anything with them other than watch and count them.

They Are Here!

Well, we brought home 12 chicks today! Unfortunately I am not sure who is who and what kinds they are, but I have taken pictures and I have a list of possibles. These are the breeds we might have: Dominiques, Gold Laced Wyandottes, Black Minocas, Araucana, Black Star, Red Star, Silver Laced Wyandottes, and one Lone Ranger - Yella Fella. There was just the one all yellow, fluffy faced chick that arrived with the others at the feed store. So I just had to bring her home. You can see pictures and read information about the different possible chickens we have at Murray McMurray Hatchery. It is not where my chickens come from but they have the best descriptions of each breed!

The chicks are currently in a large box with water, feed and a heat lamp. They are fascinating and it is easy to just sit next to them and watch them as they move from place to place, sleep for a bit then dash off to eat or drink.

Naming puzzle

I have started a list of possible and not possible names:

NOT POSSIBLE:

Mabel, Lucille, Helen, Cleo, Zoe, LesterMay - all names of female grands and great grands as well as Betty, or Mary (MIL)

POSSIBLE:

Buffy, Vamp, Angel - watching too much TV I guess!

Henrietta, Cleopatra(?)(too close to Cleo?), Hortense, Lucy, Ethel, Gertie, Glenda, Louisa May, Queen, Princess, Leah, Wilma, Book Book, Myrtle, Peeping Beauty, Hen, Henny Penny, Penny, Maryann, Myrtle, Penny....



What names do you suggest?

Decisions, Decisions

Well, the decision has been made. We are getting the chicks this week. That is the first part of the decision - now, what kinds will we get? There are so many choices!
The Suburban Farmer here in my hometown got me thinking that I could raise my own chickens for eggs too. Then I started reading on line (google is my friend), then the McMurray catalogue whetted the appetite.
Wednesday, the feed store will have a great variety of chicks in, I am so ready! We have the brooder ready - hugh cardboard box that an armchair came in. The heat lamp has been tested and is ready. We have dishes for feed and water, along with marbles if needed for drowning prevention. We will pick up straw/hay and feed at the feed store (so cleverly named).
I told DH that we have a few weeks to get the coop built - but that is for a different post - coop, tractor, free range or some combination????
But still the prefered breeds elude me, the list is soooo long! Stay tuned for pictures! I have to bring the camera home from school!