My Chickens

Week old Blue Laced Red Wyandotte chicks

I had never envisioned myself raising quality chickens, but as you read along, I will share with you how this journey evolved. 

My family had chickens for a few years when I was growing up, but that was a long time ago.  The chickens weren't anything spectacular, just ordinary chickens in my opinion, but we had them for eggs and meat. During that time, I decided that I wanted to raise some Anconas because I thought they were pretty (and I still think so), so I persuaded my dad into allowing me to raise a few.  I actually had four hens and two roosters, but none of them ever raised chicks. 

Now, back to present time. I have wanted to get back into raising chickens for some time now, but just wasn't able to until now.  My sister-in-law brought over a Murray McMurray catalog this past winter, and along with my aunt, we drooled over all the chicken pictures.  I then decided that I would wait and get chicks next year. Despite the fact that other family members were raising baby chicks, goslings, and ducklings this spring, I continued to tell myself that I would wait till next year.

 My plan was to get about eight to twelve laying hens, that was it.  I hadn't even thought of which breed I wanted to raise.  I can still recall looking at the catalog that winter day, and remembered how overwhelmed I felt looking at the different breeds and wondered how anyone could choose.

One afternoon in March, I walked into the feed store with my family, saw some chicks, and it was more then I could bare.  I purchased four Ameraucana pullets and four Gold Laced Wyandotte pullets, as well as all the extra stuff I needed to raise them.  That night, I planned and designed the chicken coop.  

The following day, my husband, kids, and myself headed to a different feed and supply store to pick up building supplies.  On the way to the store, I was looking over my sister-in-law's catalog, and studied the different breeds of chickens.  I came across some Blue Laced Red Wyandottes (BLRW) and thought they were pretty.  I vowed that if I were to ever raise some quality chickens, it would be this breed. 

When we arrived at the store, the first thing I did was look at the chicks.  The lady there was talking to me and shared with me what breeds of bantams they had that just arrived.  They actually had some BLRW bantams.  I excitedly purchased all seven of them!

As the chicks grew, the BLRW bantams were quite flighty despite being raised with my other calm chicks.  When they finally grew their feathers, I was quite disappointed in their color and  they were hardly laced.  I lost two along the way and later discovered that I have four roosters and one hen!  I will keep the hen, but the roosters will have to go.

A month into raising my chicks, I decided to get some standard BLRW and Silver Laced Wyandottes (SLW).  I researched and compared chicks from hatcheries and breeders. After a great deal of thought, I decide to purchase some nice chicks from some quality breeders.  I figured that if I am going to raise chickens for eggs and meat, I may as well raise something decent just in case I decided to show or my kids do when they get older. 

So this is my journey in raising quality Blue Laced Red Wyandottes and Silver Lace Wyandottes.  Hope you enjoy the adventure!