I also talked to my friend and chicken authority, Willhimenia.    She’s raised chickens for years and will be on call when my chicks arrive.  I’m getting four Rhode Island Reds and four White Leghorns.  I had originally wanted Buff Orpingtons and Black Australorps.  I was going to order them from Mcmurrayhatchery.com but they have a minimum order of 25 chicks!  I was originally thinking of getting just 6.  I found another place that had a minimum of 15 chicks.  But still, that was a few more than I wanted to start with.  So, Willhi told me to check our LFS (local feed store). 

When I went in yesterday I found that they weren’t getting either breed in.  So I picked up an order form for May (they had one for June also).  I took it to the back of the store and stared at the list of breeds that they offered.  Honestly, I didn’t know what the difference was from any of them unless the colors red, black or white were included in their names.  Luckily, on the shelf by my head was a book called Pocketful of Poultry.  I was able to look up the names in that book to see what the chicken breeds looked like but also if they were good egg layers.  That was kind of the point in getting some hens.  So anyway, I decided on the Rhode Island Reds that are great layers and lay brown eggs and the White Leghorns that lay white eggs.  The eight pullets cost me a grand total of $23.92 at $2.99 each.  My first and most important expense of this adventure! 

I was told that the chicks will be in the third week of May but I could call during the first or second week to find out exactly what day they chicks would be arriving.  Hopefully that will give me enough time to prepare!

Related posts:

1. Christening Day
2. Playing Chicken
3. Empty Nest