Meet the Newest Members of SS Farm!!

Yesterday, my neighbor and I went to Tractor Supply and picked up 12 Cornish Cross Chicks.  Yes, I decided to go with the cornish cross chicks this time.  Our freezer is empty and we need some meat!  So, for the sake of time, I went ahead with them.  In the future, I will be using heritage breeds for our meat.  I much prefer nature doing the natural thing to hybrids. 

Currently, we have 21 3 week old Australorp hens, 2 Cuckoo Maran hens (Pretty Lady and Pretty Penny) and 2 Americauna hens (Idiot and Freaky) - a year old, 5 Golden Comets and 2 Rhode Island Reds - 6 months old as well as 6 Freedom Ranger hens (one named Snotty) and a Freedom Ranger Rooster (Little Man) which are 11 months old and one hen I have no idea her breed or age.  There are also 6 Pets of varying ages (Mumbo - Cochin, Adonis - Bantam Cochin, Poof and Pugly - Silkies, Otter - Silkie/Polish mix, and Maci - Australorp).  Once the Australorps are laying, the Freedom Ranger hens will be processed.  As the others turn approximately 2 years old, they'll be processed.  The Pets will NOT be processed.  They will live out their lives being spoiled. 

Since I sell eggs at the Lake City Farmers Market, you can see why I am keeping the Freedom Ranger hens longer than the intended 12 - 16 weeks in which they were supposed to have been harvested. 

The babies are currently in a dog crate on the front porch!  Tomorrow, we will begin working on a tractor to place them into so they will have more room to run around and be able to eat grass and bugs like the big chickens do.

Bullseye Watching Over The New Babies

As well, today we worked in the gardens.  Hubby harrowed and leveled the new garden.  It is going to be BIG!  Before we start on the chicken tractor, tomorrow, he is going to work on some rows for me so I can start planting over the weekend.  I worked in the small garden (my original "test" garden), weeding and doing a bit of bed repair.  I'll add some seeds in there as well this weekend.  

 Small Side Garden

The chickens greatly appreciate my weeding!  Too bad I can't teach them to weed around the plants.  Sure would make my work in the gardens a bit less hectic.