Wednesday, January 27, 2010

5 Egg Laying Hens

Craigslist post, January 21:
We have 5 Beautiful young Delaware hens for sale. We have too many eggs! These chickens were hatched last April, and are in their first year of laying, starting last September. I'm reducing the flock a bit, because they're laying like crazy! Strong, healthy, mild mannered, and very cold-tolerant...They will lay right through the worst cold snaps upstate N.Y. can deliver...


Craigslist peeps (ha ha) have been crazy for chickens, they go fast.  So on Monday I responded to the ad, asking if they were still available, but thinking they were gone already.

You know how you tell someone, "we should get together for lunch," or offer to help someone, fully expecting it to never happen?  You get points for being a friendly, helpful person, but rarely have to actually DO anything.  That technique usually works pretty well for me, and I never mind if I have to put up occasionally.  Which is what I might have to do here.  The owner responded this morning and the hens are available.  He wants me to come get them on Sunday.

Holy ****!  I'm not ready!  I got the coop/playhouse yesterday expecting to not need it until April or May, and not get eggs until August.  Maybe this is a case similar to having children.  I've heard that if you wait until you feel ready, you'll never do it.  You have to just jump in and muddle through.  Yikes!

8 comments:

  1. I am so happy for you! And yes, I think that would be a lot like having kids.... there is never the right time.

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  2. Yayyyyy! How exciting! Your first (of MANY) chickens!! And, if you already have *something* to stick 'em in, you'll be fine. It's not hard to house so few birds. E-mail me if I can answer any questions for you. I'd be more than happy to help. (Oooh, I'm so envious! Your "first" are so much fun!)

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  3. Oh my! I have to put the playhouse/coop in a place that's sheltered from the wind, put something up that will keep the dogs and cats out and make a floor for it and some nesting boxes (yay) and a roost (that part should be easy). This is scary!

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  4. hahaha! Isn't that the truth? I'm envious, and I hope you have fun with this adventure! You can do it! I'm sure you'll be fine. :-)

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  5. I am SO WAITING to hear all about this!!
    I won't have chickens in this life, but I'm working into the whole idea. Grab that chicken-wise friend above and pick her brain until she cries "Uncle!" You can do it. Since it's a temporary spot, make it the most warm for them and convenient to you. There's still a bit of winter left. You can move it as soon as you can move it, if you know what I mean. Those things are lightweight enough to slide/toss yourself. You may have created a whole new market for Little Tikes!! Maybe you could find them a climbing slide one for the summer...just kidding!! sort of..!! Perhaps it is good that I'm not Craigslist savvy! I could get myself into all kinds of stuff!! Find out the best way to get the cats and dogs on board with this, too.

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  6. Congratulations! Although chickens are NOT my favorite homestead animal (well, ever heard the expression "bird brain?") if I had to give up all animals except one, chickens would be the one I would keep. Wait until you taste your first egg! It is nothing like store-bought. And if you had to, you could live on your eggs alone. And the dogs LOVE any cracked or extra eggs on their dog food. Makes their coats extra shiny/glossy too. This is so exciting, Jordan. You're gonna love 'em.

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  7. OMG, OMG, I'm terrified!! Maybe this time next week I'll be an "old hand" at keeping chickens, but right now ... so frightened I'll kill them instantly.

    OK, (gathering control), I have to put the playhouse back together, give it a floor, some nesting boxes and a roost. And I probably need to feed them something. OMG. Breathe slowly... Protect them from the dogs and cats. Breathe...

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