Chicken Sunday

Though we usually have some sort of chicken for lunch at our church's potluck each

Sunday, that isn't what I am talking about:-)

After service today we went to a local feed store and bought this year's supply of chicks. Each year I try to buy replacement chicks for 1/2-1/3 of our flock. This way, come fall when they begin to molt (and quit laying) for the winter we can cull out the older hens and only feed those likely to produce more the next spring and maybe even some during winter.

At least that's the theory. So far we end up not having the heart to butcher anything until they are so old the whole flock needs replacing.

Anyway, today we picked up five Americanas, which lay green eggs(!) and five Buff Orpingtons who will lay brown. We've had both breeds before and enjoy them. The old ones are Plymouth Rocks and Red Sex Links.

We rotate breeds so we know which ones are old and which ones are young come fall when they all look the same!

This makes our grand total of residents for our 1.35 acres;

• 1 85lb dog (lab mix- shelter rescue 5 years ago)
• 1 small cat (also a shelter rescue)
• 5 rabbits (mostly Red Satins though a couple are mixed Red Satin and ?)
• 1 Leopard Gecko (and accompanying cricket and mealworm food supply- Ewwwww)
• 2 Female Beta fish
• 2 Zebra Finches
• 13 adult hens (7 white and 6 brown/red)
• 10 chicks (5 yellow and 5 brown and yellow)
• and, of course, 11 humans (4 adults, 2 teens, 1 preteen, 3 children and 1 toddler)

We might be a bit, uhhh, cozy around here.

:-)