A Belated Introduction

I had wanted chickens for years but didn't really think I had the right set up for them. After all, I live in town--a very small town, but in town all the same. I love the old house we rent but the plot of ground it sits on is not very big and not much of it is level.

At the start of this year, I began to look at an area below the back gardens in a new light. It was a pretty good size and would provide enough space for a coop, a nice sized run, and even an area that I could close off so that I could let the chickens out to free range during the day. A plan was hatched...pun intended, LOL.

I began to research hatcheries online, first looking at The McMurray Hatchery. I even placed an order for 15 baby chicks--which is the minimum order that they will allow. This was going to be quite a large flock for my little suburban wannabe farm but if I wanted chickens I didn't know what else I was going to do. Then one day, in a homesteading group I belonged to someone there happened to mention a website: My Pet Chicken.com where you could place orders for as little as 3 chicks at a time. So, I clicked right over there and checked it out and liked what I saw so, after canceling my order with McMurray (who were very understanding, by the way) I placed another order with My Pet Chicken. Once I got started, I went overboard, of course, and ended up ordering 10 chicks instead of the 5 that I thought would be just perfect. I started reading about all the wonderful breeds and just couldn't help myself.

I ordered two each of these breeds--because you know, I didn't want them to be all by themselves:

Golden Laced Wyandotte

Rhode Island Red

Barred Plymouth Rock

Black Austrolorp

Buff Orpington

My chicks were born on June 28 and arrived at my post office on July 1st. I have to say that My Pet Chicken packaged them very safely and when they arrived all 10 were bright eyed healthy and bushy tailed--quite literally. I apologize for not having any pics of this exciting time. I had lost my camera right before they arrived and only just found it again--I know, I am totally bummed that I did not get to document everything but I am thrilled to have my camera back.

Anyway, better late than never, here are some pics of my girls all grown up:

In the 2nd picture above you can see Toughy whose beak began to twist almost from the time she arrived. I make sure to give her a deep bowl of wet food daily that she can eat more easily but other than that I have not had to do much different. I know she may not live as long a life as they others but she has a fighting spirit and I am happy to have her in my flock for as long as she can stay.

I have so enjoyed the girls. They each have very different personalities and their antics keep me laughing daily. And now that the egg laying has begun it is just so exciting, LOL! For anyone who has been thinking about adding a backyard flock of their own--I heartily give chickens two thumbs up!