The new Flock
The "Exotic"
The Barred Rock ChickAfter a couple years of planning on getting chickens I finally bit the bullet and did it. So now I am not quite sure what to call DCK. I mean it is still first and foremost a dog sled kennel, but as of late feels more like a hobby farm with the 27 new recruits.
The "newbies" here are almost 2 weeks old now and came from McMurray Hatchery in Iowa. Pretty cool deal. All you do is leaf through their catalog or online, decide what you want, call it in and BAM! a few days later they arrive in the mail. Pretty cool getting a call at 7am from your friendly neighborhood postman informing you your chicks have arrived and you can come to pick them up even though they are not open until 8, "just come to the back door and ring the bell".
Anyway I boogied in to pick up my order of 25 barred rocks. The reason I picked this particular breed was because of their hardiness to the cool climates of the north, their ability to lay nice brown eggs, and the sentiment that they are one of two breeds we had down state when I was a youngster (the other being road island reds....fyi). Besides the 25 Mcmurray threw in 1 extra B. Rock in case one did not make the transit in good health as well as what they call the "Free exotic chick". This is a bird of no specified type, just that it is exotic and you have to wait for it to grow up as kind of a surprise. I think this is excellent!
So the chicks are all doing well. I have a coop constructed, just waiting on some nice weather for a coat of paint. I snagged the old hen boxes and large tube feeder from my folks since they no longer have chickens and in just a summers time I should get some return in my investment in the form of eggs.......by the way anyone in the area who desires farm fresh eggs (27 a day is a bit much for one guy) I am hoping to set up a weekly delivery route Saturdays on my way to town for folks interested in some super tasty free range eggs.
Pups went on their first official puppy walk today. We did not go too far but made it past the kennel with the big dogs successfully and even had them running the last 100 yards home to the puppy pen. Sure is fun spending time with these guys.
Tomorrow looks to be another amazing day and I hope to get an early start again to the day so I can spend the afternoon here at the kennel....or on the river.
The "newbies" here are almost 2 weeks old now and came from McMurray Hatchery in Iowa. Pretty cool deal. All you do is leaf through their catalog or online, decide what you want, call it in and BAM! a few days later they arrive in the mail. Pretty cool getting a call at 7am from your friendly neighborhood postman informing you your chicks have arrived and you can come to pick them up even though they are not open until 8, "just come to the back door and ring the bell".
Anyway I boogied in to pick up my order of 25 barred rocks. The reason I picked this particular breed was because of their hardiness to the cool climates of the north, their ability to lay nice brown eggs, and the sentiment that they are one of two breeds we had down state when I was a youngster (the other being road island reds....fyi). Besides the 25 Mcmurray threw in 1 extra B. Rock in case one did not make the transit in good health as well as what they call the "Free exotic chick". This is a bird of no specified type, just that it is exotic and you have to wait for it to grow up as kind of a surprise. I think this is excellent!
So the chicks are all doing well. I have a coop constructed, just waiting on some nice weather for a coat of paint. I snagged the old hen boxes and large tube feeder from my folks since they no longer have chickens and in just a summers time I should get some return in my investment in the form of eggs.......by the way anyone in the area who desires farm fresh eggs (27 a day is a bit much for one guy) I am hoping to set up a weekly delivery route Saturdays on my way to town for folks interested in some super tasty free range eggs.
Pups went on their first official puppy walk today. We did not go too far but made it past the kennel with the big dogs successfully and even had them running the last 100 yards home to the puppy pen. Sure is fun spending time with these guys.
Tomorrow looks to be another amazing day and I hope to get an early start again to the day so I can spend the afternoon here at the kennel....or on the river.
"Love the Madness" Moosejaw
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