The Homestead is Begining to Become more of a Farm!

We have lived in our house for four years now. For a while now I have wondered about poultry. Chickens in fact.

You see where this is going now don't you?
Well, obviously bringing Milo home was always the priority, other endeavors were on the backburner. But now that he is home and we are more settled in that department (although with plenty of work ahead I tell ya) I finally convinced the hubby on chickens.

A friend of a friend had an old smaller coop she gave me for free, which although falling apart and small, was the perfect means for "brooding" the chicks. Hubby is in the process of making my permanent coop.

Six weeks ago I got my first round of girls. :)

Sophia, Stella, and Blanche

Only a week later my little Stella (Barred Rock) was killed my a friend's dog. :( I was devenstated. (She's pictured just to the right of the red one above). I determined that to ease the pain of the loss I should get two more....

Bonnie and Dottie

The girls are getting bigger now (each about six weeks old) and I cant believe how enthralled I've become with them! Seriously, its insane how happy these chickens make me.

I have since discovered that at least two of the chickens are not the breed I had wanted from Wilco (they keep multiple breeds together in the same bins, so I understand accidents happen), and one is looking to be a rooster then a hen (which sexing is only guaranteed at 90% from most feed stores).

So lets meet the girls, shall we?

My favorite hen, Sophia. Identified wrongly as a Sicilian Buttercup, but I believe to be a Welsummer.

Dottie, a Silver Laced Wyandotte. She already looks different then this photo, taken a week ago.

Dottie, misidentified as a Buckeye, I believe to be a Rhode Island Red

And Blanche, renamed Blaine as I believe this chicken to be a Rooster. This chicken may become dinner if the sex identifies true.

Blaine/Blanche is a Black Australorp, beautiful birds. I was contacted last week from a friend about her coworker who had a chicken randomly show up at her house. She couldn't track down the owners and couldn't care for her herself so was trying to rehome her. Lone and behold, she is a Black Australorp hen, so I was happy to give her a home since my other Australorp may be leaving the coop.

I've named her Audrey and she currently resides in my horse trailer, as it cant transport horses right now....Not too much longer until the coop should be finished and all the girls can live together. :)

Stay tuned....my next adventure may be in Swine.