I LOVE Lucy! Who doesn't? Do you remember the episode where the Ricardos have moved out to the country and Ricky is upset about all the bills, so they decide to raise chickens? Back in 1957, Lucy says that eggs are 75 cents a dozen. Eggs are not much more than that now! I have taken her advice and brought home some chicks! (I decided on way less than she did!)
I have wanted chickens for about 10 years, so since we are now out in the country and on a farm, no less! - it is time to raise some chickens! We bought 12 layers and 6 broilers. We are also raising 12 layers for some friends. Chicks are SO cute! They'll nod off right in their food dish. We picked them up about a week and half ago and already have had to move them twice into bigger boxes.
They were only 1 day old when I picked them up - all fuzz! After just a few days, their wing feathers have grown in and they have the start of tail feathers. They can already fly up to the top of the box and roost on the edge! Some of them love to be held and others love to peck at the hand that feeds them.
We are going to be using the old boiler room for the giant chicken barn that used to exist on this farm. It was big enough for 80,000 chickens! The boiler room is cinder-block and about 13'x12'. It leaks and is missing the door and window. It was being used as storage for junk wood and snakes! My boys worked for weeks cleaning it out (it was only work when they couldn't find any snakes that particular day!) and our friends that are keeping chickens here (the W Family) came and put up a door and screened in the window! The only thing left to do is repair the very leaky roof and put up a run, build nesting boxes and roosts, fill the cracks in the walls and run the electricity!
If we don't get the Poultry Palace up and running soon, I guess I can always just keep the chicks in my living room!
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