I can't keep them all :(

[Chipmunk Chicks]

And one more from todays walk around. A cuteness overload here. This is Mama. She is from our first generation hatching project here (we are on gen 5) and she has mothered countless chicks. She is a 100% free ranger, and lives with her babies under some of the blue spruce trees on the property. She is the only one I will trust with more than 4 chicks at a time. She just hatched these 8 last week and you can almost count on her to not lose a single one. Looks like they have a lot of Maran influence.

Wow! That is amazing. What a fantastic mother and such a treat to see! How many chickens do you reckon you have on your property?

 

[BastyPutt]

Wow! That is amazing. What a fantastic mother and such a treat to see! How many chickens do you reckon you have on your property?

We have about 90 in lay right now, which is then most we have ever had. Then the crested flock there is another 24 or 30 there.

We really started trying to just allow the chickens to be wild, with some obvious domesticated things like food and water. But allow them to hatch, brood and raise their own flock. Then we pull chicks out after hatching and give them away, sell them or keep based on who the parents are.

The project has faulted though because with a gun to my head, i will never, ever butcher a laying hen who has laid eggs for me. Id put them out of their misery, but i could never kill them because they are old.

So, this has left me with a bunch of free loaders from the first generation, that are just taking up space. So I'm working on what to do there, while still keeping things moving.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

We have about 90 in lay right now, which is then most we have ever had. Then the crested flock there is another 24 or 30 there.

Sounds like you are living the dream!

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Marshmallow broke me.

 

[Party_Chicken]

Marshmallow broke me.
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He reminds me so much of my bubbles. I miss him so much.

 

[IvyBeans]

I hope so. I feel like no one else is really going to love them like I do, but hopefully their next keepers will, in their own way...


Oh my gosh. I was so sad to lose our drake, not only because he was such a dreamboat, but of course I wanted them to hatch out all the beautiful fluffy ducklings. But then it all came crashing down when he said he didn't want to replace him, either! I'm hoping when we move he will make good on setting them up with a really nice, suitable enclosure. But it's either that, or... Either way I feel like more duck babies may sadly not be in my future any time soon.

They give great hugs though, I literally scoop them up and carry them over to the run every day, best part of my morning.

You’re giving someone else the gift of well started chicks! Someone will love them and treat them well.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Yesterday was bittersweet. I rehomed Marshmallow, as well as his main squeeze, Peep, and Carmella. I ended up keeping the red SGE, Ruby, along with the two Wyandottes. Still have to get the Bieles to my brother, but at least now they are safe and sound outside - including SLEEPING outside - and I have zero chickens in my basement. Finally!