My girls

[BC-3boys2luv]

Sorry, I'm a board hog today!

Just thought I'd go ahead and post an updated pic of my girls so you can see how big they are now. Please ignore the fact that we haven't repainted the back wall yet. We're reusing a building that was already here as part of the coop and that outside wall wasn't kept up with like it should have been so there's dirt and mud all over it.

Anyway, the girls are still sweeties. They come to you when you enter and will eat out of everyone's hand (and try to eat your rings and moles/freckles - lol) and love to be petted. A couple have figured out that they can fly and they'll do this hilarious bounce thing then fly up and you catch them and hold and pet them. It's pretty darn funny to see them bouncing, like they are on a trampoline to get a head start or something.




Probably the same one being nosy as when they were chicks!

[Caligal]

Wow they have gotten so big!! SO tell me what are you going to do with them. Maybe stupid question but I am guessing you will be getting fresh eggs? How much older do they have to be to lay eggs? Sorry I am really ignorant when it comes to chics

[BC-3boys2luv]

Yep, big, huh? When they are small - like the first month or so - they double in size every week. Seriously. If you ever plan to get chicks to raise, be sure you have more room in your brooder box than you think you need. WAY more room!

Yes, we are keeping them for eggs. They should start laying around 5-6 months old, so we've got a while on that, and they won't become regular layers right away, we'll get one here and there for a bit. Once they do start laying regularly we'll be selling the extras. We've got some neighbors that have already said they'll buy extra eggs from us and we have a small farmer's market where I can sell, too. We'll put that money back towards feed.

[BC-katrack]

Wow--they look like real chickens now! I had NO idea they grew so fast. How many do you have again? Have you lost any?

[BC-3boys2luv]

We wanted 12 so we bought 15 because, like you know, chicks that are shipped can be fragile and you always lose a few. Yeah. I have 15 chickens.

[BC-SgtMom]

they are a beautiful color....will your eggs be brown?

[TamiK]

awesome!! Love the nosey chick! Those homegrown eggs will be wonderful!

DH wants to get chickens soon, but he needs to build a coop first.

[BC-3boys2luv]

Originally Posted by BC-SgtMom

they are a beautiful color....will your eggs be brown?

Thanks. Yes, they should lay brown eggs. They are a cross between Rhode Island Red roosters and Delaware pullets.

[BC-3boys2luv]

Originally Posted by TamiK

awesome!! Love the nosey chick! Those homegrown eggs will be wonderful!

DH wants to get chickens soon, but he needs to build a coop first.

When you get close to starting let me know and I'll send you to a website that has a TON of information on getting started and how to build coops, what you really need and don't, etc. I'll warn you, though, you'll spend a TON of time there. Some people there raise exotics and lots have chickens more for pets (with eggs as an added benefit) and there are some super nice people there and TONS of threads with info. to gather.

We were very lucky that when we got this place there was a building there that was very easily converted into a coop. That was actually one of the pluses on this place, that it had several outbuildings that we could easily convert to our needs without having to build from scratch. Chickens are darned addictive, too! We've been thinking of adding a few different breeds (we don't have a rooster as the cross breeds don't breed true, anyway). We've got room for 30 but are holding off for now, although it's very hard to not come home with chicks every time I go to the feed store and they have them!

[Dubhshlaine]

So howold are they in this pic? I would love to see that web site .