Not so long ago my little chick house had lots of room for the 35 chicks living there. Now my pullet group fills the roost plus window sill plus feeder bucket plus waterer.
Why 35 Chicks?
I really plan on adding about 10 new pullets to the hen house every year. However, it makes no sense to order fewer than 20 chicks due to an extra handling fee. So I ordered 10 Dominique and 10 Easter Egger pullets. An extra Easter Egger was with the order.
Then a friend set some eggs for me. I wanted roosters called dinner. That added 9, but only 5 roosters. She gave me another pullet.
Another friend gave me 4 more chicks. Three of them are roosters.
My Pullet Group
In the morning I toss out some scratch grains and open the door. A flood of color pours out the door and scatters into half grown chickens starting to cluck instead of cheep. They stretch their wings, race across the little yard and peck madly.
When the yard gate opens, the flood spreads out across the compound grass. Some fly up on the bench under a tree. Others explore the pile of top soil still waiting to move into the garden. Half end up by the big chicken yard eating the special grain tossed out there for those hens who insist on flying out over the fence.
In the evening my pullet group greets me at the barn. They swirl around my feet as I walk to their yard trying to not step on any toes to toss more scratch grain out. Their feeder needs refilling.
I take a scoop of chick feed and sit down in the house doorway. My pullet group gathers around to eat out of the scoop, sit on my knees, slip by to eat in their house or pick at my shoes as those laces just must be big worms.
Dilemma
Even though the roosters will become dinner, there are still 25 pullets. My big chicken house isn’t big enough for the old flock and my pullet group to fit in.
My neighbor needs some pullets. My dilemma is: which ones do I part with? This is about the friendliest group I’ve had. My knee sitters will definitely stay.
Chickens figure largely in “Mistaken Promises – Hazel Whitmore #3.
