Today was the first day we could select and order our chicks for the spring. So, of course I got right online and ordered!!  I found a hatchery in Polk, Ohio called Meyer Hatchery that offers 160 breeds of poultry, including chickens, ducks, turkeys, guineas, peafowl, and game birds. We are going to stick with egg laying chickens for now, and maybe later on in the summer get a few turkeys.

Ever since we have been in contract on the farm, I have been researching chickens and different breeds.  I wanted an easy going chicken that does well in cold weather and has good egg production.  For some reason I had the magical number 7 in my mind for the number of chicks to start with, and have found 3 breeds of chickens that have all the characteristics I wanted and all different colors. We are doing all females, because I don’t want to hear the rooster all day and they tend to be aggressive.

The first breed is Barred Rock, and I just love the color!

Second we have Buff Orpington.  This was the original chicken I found and wanted, mainly because all of the reviews have said they are great with children and will eat right out of your hand.

The last one I went with because of its name, Delaware.  I also really like their color and the diversity they added.

We will receive our chicks either April 4th or 5th and they will be one day old! Over the winter we will clean out the out building we call the “cat house”, and get their brooder area ready to go.  Then in April we will get the chicken coop ready to go for when they are big enough to be outside.

Now we just need to get through the winter . . . .