We got 30 + 1 baby chicks today. I drove to the post office with two of my younger brothers to pick them up this morning, after finally getting the long anticipated call. Jack was the most excited. He was the one who spearheaded our last chicken-raising operation. Unfortunately, that idyllic situation came to a bloody end with the great chicken massacre instigated by an angry bear.
But, when you’re a chicken farmer, you try try again. It’s just one little way that we are taking dominion. With the help of friends, we reinforced our coop – as much as is possible when dealing with bears. We prepared a place to bed the chicks and strung up heat lamps to ward off the winter cold.
The hatchery I ordered from, McMurray Hatchery, has a tradition of sending one exotic chick with each order. He’s the “+1″ from above. The little guy is a lonely black-fluffed chick among the yellowish-looking Red Stars. I still haven’t figured out what breed he is.
Eggs are a daily necessity in our house. Only this morning the fridge was opened to cries of despair as it was discovered that our stockpile of eggs had dwindled away. I can’t go a day without at least four to six eggs. They are the perfect food.
Every time I buy eggs from the store, I try another brand that boasts of being “organic” and “free-range”, only to be disappointed when I crack one open into a bowl, and see the pale yellow yoke that was housed inside.
A truly nutritious egg will have a deep yellow color to it. Even almost orange. I am going to be impatiently waiting for spring.
