Babies!

My chicks finally arrived.  I ordered babies months ago (before I realized how poor I would be this time of year) but it was timed after the craziness of October was over.  I didn't do well with the baby hatching this year.  I tried to let everyone hatch their eggs naturally.  The turkeys never came to term...I finally had to toss them after 8 weeks of 3 hens setting!  My goose and duck eggs were stolen right from under the Mommas (I believe by a snake...only thing that could have gotten into the pen and taken the eggs with no shells or evidence).  My chickens hatched all of 1 egg they were brooding and the baby disappeared.  So, definitely incubating next year and no more free ranging babies either!

However, that doesn't help me have new hens for the Spring.  I also have a motley crew left and some hens are getting older.  I have decided the breeds I really like are Austrolorps and Buff Orpingtons (though I would love to get my hands on some Lavender Orps).  I have 1 Buff hen and 4 Australorp hens and Henry my Australorp roo.  So, I ordered mostly Buff babies....girls and 2 boys and then about half as many Astralorp girls.  I added two Americauna girls who will hopefully become friends with Merlin my Americauna roo. 

Both Orpingtons and Australorps are listed as "recovering" on the ALBC list.  The Orpingtons are supposed to be meat birds and the Australorps are bred from them to be egg layers.  I liked them both as egg layers and for their temperment.  I would like to raise more threatened heritage birds but for now...practical and sustainable is what I need.  My turkey and rabbit breeds are more threatened...the Jersey Buff turkey is "critical" so I feel good about raising them and they are local to the Mid-Atlantic.

http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html#chickens

Anyway, my plan is to have these girls grow up and be added to my laying hen stock.  I will have more eggs to sell and when I raise new babies from them, since I will have roos and hens from both breeds, to sell the babies too and, of course, keep some for myself in the spring.

Here is a pic of my Australorp roo, Henry.

To the right is Ms. Buffy, my Buff Orpington girl who is actually getting on in years.

And to the left is Henrietta, one of the Australorp girls.