"Farm" Update

Well,  Mr. Billy did not come through for us. Anna and Elsa, our two doe goats did not end up pregnant over the winter.  This has been a very tiresome, and expensive venture, and we all decided to call it quits.  The family housing the goats want to move on to raising turkeys and did not want to keep the goats any longer.  The second family has realized they are allergic to goat dairy, and already have three pygmy goats in their small barnyard.  We just do not have the set-up for goats, ourselves; although, we soon will.

By the end of the week we will have a professionally installed fenced in area of about 100 square feet just below our garden.  In two weeks our custom barn kit will arrive and just a few days later our 10 baby chicks will be delivered.  Our barn and yard plan did have enough room to accommodate the two goats, but I was truly worried that what had begun as a three family venture would too quickly become a single family venture, and I did not sign on for that!  Chickens are easy.  Chickens understand.

I am so excited to get started with our chickens.  I have been dreaming of this for years and it is finally happening.  I ordered two female chicks from five different breeds and they should be ready to lay by October, as long as winter doesn't arrive too early here.  We'll be housing our chicks in the laundry room for about 4 to 6 weeks.  I still need to decide on a brooder set up, but I'm sure I'll have it figured out well before the chicks arrive.

Here are photos of the 5 breeds I selected

Black Australorp are excellent egg layers. Their eggs are large brown. They are cold hardy and winter layers and are fairly docile, if not friendly.

Buff Orpington are very good layers.  Their eggs are large brown.  They are cold hardy, winter layers, and are known to be very friendly.

Delaware are very good layers. Their eggs are light brown.  They are also cold hardy, winter layers and are very docile.

Silver Laced Wyandotte are very good layers. They lay large brown eggs. They are cold hardy, winter layers, fairly docile (although I will have to watch them with the other birds as they can be aggressive), and so pretty.

Welsummer are very good layers.  They lay large chocolate colored eggs.  They are cold hardy, winter layers and very docile.

(all photos come from the Meyer Hatchery web catalog)

I can't wait for my chicks to arrive so I can get some photos!