It turns out I'm not very good at blogging... I think it may have been all of the time I spent on FarmVille. I'm cutting back on that. I'm experiencing some withdrawal but I've promised myself not to plant any crops until my real garden is planted. I tried to convince Jeff that we ought to test out some farm implements this year - plow the front yard then drill it with hay seed. Then - when it comes time to mow the lawn, we can bale it and feed it to some hungry critter around here. He looked at me like I was joking - I think he may be in for a surprise down the road.
I'm resisting all temptation to order some turkey poults - so far, that is... I'm not sure why I want them but I keep finding myself looking through hatchery sites to find them. I have cut the chicken flock down a few roosters, I'm giving away 5 of my flightier hens to a fellow farmer who needs his flock boosted a bit - and I'm giving two of my calmest, sweetest hens to my just-as-sweet massage therapist who tragically lost one of her hens last week. That ought to leave me with 65 birds total -- 6 roosters, 33 laying hens and 26 pullets that should start laying mid July... If I only had another chicken pen and hired hand to help with the daily feeding/watering.
In truth, it sounds like more chickens than it looks. Even Jeff was surprised by the number. They really don't take up much space - and even if you give them space, most of them tend to huddle together. I can't help but notice all of the empty old barns and sheds I see along the highway and think, "Geez - I could fit a hundred chickens in there!"
