Thursday, July 19, 2012

New peeps!

| | 4 comments
Day old peeps - of a variety of breeds

Worse than a kid in a candy shop, I recently went on-line shopping on Ideal Poultry's website.

Our laying flock has reduced in size from the original 15 down to 11 (one of which is a rooster) which means we're only getting 6 eggs/day, some of which are bantam sized.  Not enough even for our typical breakfast much less baking or giving away (or selling).

{No need to limit our egg intake with these pastured poultry eggs loaded with Omega-3's!  Did you know the healthy fats in pastured eggs actually helps you preserve your eyesight and brain function?}

Day old Plymouth Rock pullet

Which is as good as an excuse as I ever needed to go shopping for more chickens.

Although you pay a premium to purchase them in ones and twos, I just couldn't help ordering two of this and two of that until suddenly I'd met their 25 bird minimum.

So, yes, ahem, we have 25 new laying chickens in the garage in an old stock-tank-turned-brooder.

Guinea keet day 1

We chose some new breeds and some beloved varieties - Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Americanas - all of which we have in our original flock; plus some Black Astralorps, Partridge Rocks; then a few more bantams since we love Frickin and Dixie so much - bantam Americanas, more bantam Silkies (this time white, black and partridge colored); and a 5-pack of 3 different varietes of Guinea keets to round it all out.

Yes, Mama Bear is in heaven right now.

Our broilers, which are only a week older, suddenly look ginormous compared to these itty bits of fluff.  This is our biggest day-old pullet, a Buff Orpington, next to a 7-day old broiler.

Broiler chick day 7 next to Buff Orpington day 1

The keets are really small, really fast, and really loud.  The adult birds can be QUITE obnoxious regarding noise but make good watch dog/birds and eat tons of ticks! 

But I think my new heart-melting peeps are these bantam partridge silkies.  I picked one up today and could not even feel it in my hand, it's so light.

Bantam partridge silkie chick

Then again, they all make my heart melt and I don't really have any favorites at this point.

I'm just in peep heaven.

Cheers -
Gypsy Farmgirl writes about new peeps

4 comments:

jenlarson said...

Very cute peeps! As always, I'm in awe of your photography skills. Have fun with those little fluff-balls!

Victoria Strauser said...

Thank you Jen - I'm still a beginner, but now have at least moved up to Kelly's DLSR camera, so no more point & shoot. And he got me a new lens, a 50mm 1.4 which is great for low-light, which is what all of my brooder pics are, so it's been working great for that!

Jess said...

I soooo need to get my camera out to the barn today, our two babies are already four (and three) days old. I'm ordering chicks next Spring! (Apparently Red can't make babies anymore and I want more than Arnold-sized spawn) Can't wait to make my list, I totally understand your joy in that!

Victoria Strauser said...

Yes, I can't wait to see your new peeps! Nothing beats chicken shopping, I tell you what, it's better than Christmas lists!

 
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