Every few years, come chick time, we need to replenish our flock–just because that’s how chicken’s work at our house. They either get old and don’t lay any more, or they slowly die, one by one, by various means, and we just find ourselves needing more! There are basically three ways to get them:
Three Ways to Get Chicks.
- This is the number one way to get chicks because of course, it is the easiest, most natural way. If you have a rooster, or can find some fertile eggs from a neighbor, broody hen will naturally set on her nest until the eggs hatch. Your job is to just make her a safe, quiet place away from the rest of the flock, and wait 21 days, and watch it happen!
- Mail order/farm supply store, is the most labor intensive of the three–think heat lamps, being on call most of your days and nights until your babies get old enough and big enough to fend for themselves. This is the way you can start your first chicken experience, or get the breeds you want, etc. You can make pets of your chickies easier this way, too! It is VERY enjoyable way to raise chicks!
- This 3rd way is to have a broody hen set for awhile, and then, secret some boughten chicks under her in the night, and replace the sterile eggs she has been setting on. No Rooster required. This is the one I will be sharing about in this post.
Last year at chick time, we mail-ordered 15 dual purpose brown egg layers. Dual purpose meaning, that they are good layers, but they also have a lot of meat on them if they are going to be butchered. Some breeds are meant for eggs only, and the they are scrawny, all bones and feathers–not much to eat if your butcher them!
Patiently waiting, and waiting, and waiting….
This year, one of our hens from last year has decided it’s time to raise a family-her name is Dough. She has been setting for a LONG time–The only problem with that is that we don’t have a rooster….which means the eggs aren’t fertile…which means…no chicks! UNLESS….someone steps up and helps the situation!!
This is Dough. Her name came from a 5 year old– “Because she looks like dough, you know–when it comes out of the oven!”
So, to help poor Dough out, and to hopefully get a rooster for our flock, I went to Tractor Supply today, and nabbed onto some VERY coveted chicks to sneak under her after dark. (You gotta be QUICK when the stores get their chicks in nowadays, because EVERYONE is wanting chicks now, with the egg shortage.) Anyway, I came home with the last two Barred Rocks, and two Partridge Chantecler’s–a breed that I’ve never had before, but they are supposed to be dual purpose, and very good egg layers, and very cold hardy! Check, check, check!
Over the years, we have secreted chicks under unsuspecting broody hens several times, and every time it is AMAZING to me! They immediately have a whole brood of babies, and BOOM they aren’t broody anymore–they are a mama hen, with all the instincts of every mama anywhere!
I put these babies under Dough, in the dark. In about 5 seconds flat, her little noises went from “I’m setting, leave me alone!” to “Calm down my little lovies, Mama’s right here…shhhh!”. Literally-5 seconds! It’s so sweet! I DO love chickens!!
Chicks At Last!
Here are our new chicks, in the fresh brooder house, awaiting their new mama!
Dough, the proud Mama, seconds after I put her new babies under her! (I had to use the flash to get this picture, which wasn’t very nice!)
Here it is, the next morning! A darling, tiny, chick peeking out from under a cozy wing of it’s new mama!
Later, the proud Mama and her brood enjoying the heat lamp, because it’s a cold day for itty, bitty chicks!
For Chickie Lover’s Only! Get Your Shirts Here!
When we went to pick up our chicks at the post office last year, my little helper was SO excited–she’d been waiting for SO long! We finally got them in the car, next to her, of course, and she was delighted! Their peep, peep, peeping was just glorious to her, and she said, “Julie! This is better than music!” Makes my eyes sweat–the thoughts of every chicken lover ever! SO–I made a shirt!
Go here to get one of these darling shirts for your little chicken lovers! There are also ladies sizes, (below) and toddler sizes available in my Etsy Shop.
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It will be fun to watch Dough care for her little brood! I’ll keep you posted with photo updates, so you can get in on the fun, too! Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried chicks this way!
Thanks for sharing my chickie adventures with me! Let’s do it again!
Good Thoughts
“Don’t EVER, not even once, go into your chicken coop with your good shoes on!”
