Meet Lucy and Ethel. Our newest peeps.
We took a trip to the Urban Farm Store this week. I didn’t expect to bring anything home. Well, maybe a bag of pine shavings, we needed some of those. Maybe some chicken food for our laying hens, we’re running low on that. But, they had barred rock chicks! Only five left! These weren’t really an impulse buy. I even brought a small brooder along just in case. I think these will be a nice addition to our flock. Hopefully, they’ll provide us with many delicious breakfasts in the future.
If you’re in the Portland area, the Urban Farm Store on SE Belmont is a great chicken resource. They’re very knowledgeable about all things chicken. And it’s a good place to pick up chicks.
10 comments:
They look cute now, but in general birds freak me out!
Don't fear the chicken, Fannie... it provides such wonderful gifts.
Hello Cindy
I am Delwyn from way down under. I have popped across from Susan's place.
Your photos are just lovely, they have a very endearing honest quality -if that makes sense.
It is nice to meet you.
Happy days
Delwyn, Thank you for your kind words. Welcome to my blog. I'm thrilled to have you here!
They are so cute! I love that you've named them Lucy and Ethel.
Are chickens a lot of work? Mr. ChaCha eats lots of eggs and I'm thinking he should raise his own.
How do you protect them from the coyotes in this area?
Sharon, work? chickens? not really... once you've invested in a good coop and prepared yourself for the fact that if you let them wander around the yard, there will be poop to clean up, they're not much work at all. The eggs they provide us with are so much healthier than those from caged hens. Here are some numbers from a study conducted by Mother Earth Magazine:
• 1⁄3 less cholesterol
• 1⁄4 less saturated fat
• 2⁄3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene
There are coyotes in our area, but the hens keep themselves relatively safe by hiding in their coop at night. During the day our border/aussie mix keeps a watchful eye on the girls.
Have I convinced you to get chickens yet?
Darling girls! Hopefully they won't get into as much trouble as the original Lucy and Ethel!
For Sharon: Go for it! There's nothing better than homegrown eggs. Not only are they healthier, there is no comparison in the taste. Once you have your own, you can never go back to eating factory farm eggs. Factory egg farms are an abomination on the planet!
Well said Susan! At this point I'm hoping Lucy and Ethel are in fact girls. I don't have the best track record for picking 'em. Last time I bought chicks, we had two roos out of four.
Cindy, I think I've heard your roosters crowing in the neighborhood. Love the sound. It's almost as good as the sound of trains in the distance.
Hmmm. I'm not convinced yet. Mr. ChaCha is notorious for not following through on anything related to maintenance of living things--or the house for that matter. (Me, I just like the idea of having chickens running around. Would also like a goat or two.)
Since he eats 99% of the eggs we bring home, he'd have to care for the chickens. I reckon they might starve. And he'd probably forget to close the door to the coop.
Also, we are dogless and the coyotes ate the neighbor's cat one night.
Perhaps the farmer's market? I'm curious now about how fresh eggs might taste. As Susan said, helping to rid the planet of factory egg farms would be a good deal.
Huh, I left a comment last week, but it didn't stick, oh well.
What I was asking about was if you had been to Naomi's on Tacoma and Mcloughlin yet. They have chicks advertised on their fence banner, and they had turkey chicks earlier in the season. Les Schwab owns the property now,(used to be Kasch's Nursery) so we don't know how long Naomi's will be able to stay.
I love the idea of chickens, but I will have to give it til next year, I think - too many "ifs" up in the air right now.
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