More chicks? Yes, please

Chicken math is a funny thing. The punch line is that we always want more, right?

Where I live, I am constrained by an ordinance that limits my chicken numbers to four. Oh how I wish I could have six. Or seven. But I must be strong. I already have two, but four is the limit! Yessiree!

Sigh.

After doing the difficult math (TWO + TWO = FOUR CHICKENS!) I recently drive down to Ohio to expand the flock.

I went back to Meyer Hatchery in Polk, Ohio, because they have the rare breeds that I want and because I had such a good experience with them the last time. I drove down on a Sunday afternoon and stayed overnight in Wooster. The next morning, I showed up early to pick up my two babies.

The little fuzz balls peeped the whole four-hour drive back to Michigan. And when I got home, the first thing I did was introduce my dog Charlie and cat Cora. A lot of cautious glances were exchanged, in addition to a bunch of sniffing.

Until the babies are big enough to introduce them to my other two chickens, Loretta and Gigi, they will feather out in a dog crate in my basement. I also bought a chicken hutch that I can put them in once they outgrow the dog crate. It’s perfect for two chickens, and even has a perch in it. The better news is that once the birds are introduced, I can use it as a broody box/sick pen.

So for now, marbles are in the waterer dish, and I’m exclusively using the Brinsea EcoGlow for heat. With my first set of birds, I supplemented with a heat lamp. But this time I’m just using the EcoGlow, and the birds are thriving.