Cornish Cross Broiler Chicks
Cornish Cross Broiler chicks are the best meat birds to raise for eating. They’re easy and ready for market in 8-10 weeks!
The baby meat chicks, Cornish Cross, are here. For some reason in my neck of the woods there’s a shortage of baby chicks this year. Apparently everyone is hoarding them like toilet paper. Who would have thought?
I’m hearing backyard coops are popping up everywhere; people are afraid of shortages coming again so they’ve decided to raise their own chickens.
Hubby and I have been on the lookout and calling the farm store daily waiting for meat chickens to come in. Finally we hit the jackpot, a truck had just arrived with baby chicks on board so hubby and I made a dash to the feed store to get them. We were fortunate to get 25, the same amount I raise every year.
While there I also purchased the food to last them until butcher time. I had a fear I may not be able to find enough of that either. I hadn’t even had time to get the coop ready for the season.
It was a nice day so I left the chicks in the truck where it was warm while I swept out the coop, put down pine bedding, filled the waterers and feeders, and hooked up the warmer.
While I was doing that hubby was hooking up the electrical to the coop. We make a good pair getting things done. I added the little peepers to the coop and called it a day. The next morning when I went out to check on them I had lost a chick. It’s quite normal to lose a few early on so I always account for that and buy extra.
I’m expecting all those people hoarding chickens will get tired of them soon and I’ll see them listed on the Market Place for sale or people giving them away. People are always quick to buy animals but don’t realize how much money and time they take to care for.
It makes me sad to think how many won’t be properly cared for. I’m an animal lover and it hurts my heart to see them unwanted.
TO MY REGULAR READERS: ANYTHING YOU SEE IN THE GREEN BOXES WILL BE MY DAILY UPDATE DURING THE VIRUS! Please leave a comment and fill me in on what you’re doing. God Bless you all!
Sunday April 5: Looks like it’s going to be another sunny day in the mid 50”s. I’ll take it! I have two loads of laundry hanging on the line, cleaned the guest bathroom and kitchen, and plan on whipping up a healthy muffin recipe I’ve got from my nutritionist.
After my housework I spent the biggest portion of the day sitting on the porch reading a book and watching the birds drink from the birdbath. I’ve also been checking frequently on the new baby chicks, making sure they are staying at the right temperature. I’m also pondering getting a few laying hens. It’s up I the air still about them, but I am mulling it around in my brain. I have to think on it a while before I jump right in. The worst part is taking care of them n the winter months. I know I’d dread that for sure and it also ties me down to being home to care for them every day. No vacation time if I get layers.
Monday April 6: Another sunny day here so I have a load of laundry on the line. I know you must think I do nothing but laundry and you’re right. We seem to have a lot of it. I also baked a batch of healthy breakfast muffins (recipe to follow), a batch of healthy trail mix, and granola bars. If I don’t get this eating out of boredom under control I’m going to be a hot, fat mess come summer time.
DIL and myself are off to pick up laying hens today. They will go at my son and DIL place but until the coop is finished being built they’ll be in the same coop as our meat chickens. I’ll partition off a section for them. We had such a fun day despite all that’s going on in our country. We had many laughs and lots to talk about once we got back home.
Tuesday April 7: This is going to get old but yes I had more laundry on the line again today. It was 73 degrees out so I spent most of the day on the front porch reading and doing Bible studies. Then when my DIL got home we went for a two-mile walk. It was so nice to be outside doing things. Hubby dug for worms to go fishing since no bait shops are open. I find it quite interesting how me find what we need and make things work when we don’t have access to a store to purchase things.
Talked with Grama Red by phone. She is so board being stuck at home, and at her age she just can’t risk going out. Once this all breaks her and I are going to run the streets until she’s had her fill. I’ve been picking up what she need and leaving it on her porch for her, but we’ve had no contact other than the phone.
Good Morning Dawn ! I hear you about the laundry…never ends …ever !! Happy that you got your chicks and laying hens. Lots of work for sure but so satisfying to know how your eggs and meat are produced.
Crazy the way that people are hoarding lots of items. Maybe it being Easter, folks want baby chicks for their kids for Easter ..never a good idea, & it almost never turns out well for the chicks.
I have also been baking daily…comfort now. misery later when I will lose the weight 🙁
I don’t know if your having the same problem in the states, but here , our farmers are being asked to dump thousand of litres of milk a week . Apparently , since our restaurants are closed because of the virus, demand is down so they have no place to store the processed milk. And yet , some of the grocery stores are having a hard time getting milk in. I buy 20 litres a week of milk if not more .
Hope you have a good week 🙂
Cheryl, Yes, they did say Easter week is the biggest buying week for chickens. People buy them for their kids as pets and once they get past the cute stage no one wants them 🙁 I’m glad to hear you’re on the baking wagon with me, we can do the diet thing together later, LOL. That’s terrible I haven’t heard anthing like that about milk around here. I live near a creamery and get my milk from them. I’ll have to ask! Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and healthy!