So a chick costs a dollar or two, a 16-18 week old pullet (already starting to lay) costs $5, and a dozen fertilized chicken eggs costs about $30 !!!!!!!!????? Much of the cost is in the shipping, but good grief!!
Why am I looking for eggs to hatch? Because I have a hen who WILL NOT get off the nest. I've been taking her eggs, moving her off the nest, and I even put ice in the nest, but nothing will get her to budge. I figure I might as well put her to work. Since I couldn't find any fertilized eggs locally, I asked some farmer friends if I could buy a rooster from them. So they sent a few boys out in the field to chase one down. Picture two tall Menonite boys in their black pants and suspenders, cheerfully running down a rooster for me. Mr. and Mrs. and two or three girls were all standing with me watching for a while before Mr. Farmer decided to go down and get a dog to help because roosters are really fast. So, on Tues. we brought a rooster home. William said, "I wanted a rooster so much, and now I have one!" He's not too loud in the morning as long as the windows are closed. He's not any worse than the crazy birds that sing right outside our window starting at 5am. The boys love to hear him crow.
So, now our hen is sitting on eight eggs and I'm hoping a good number are fertilized. The golden colored hen in the pic is the one brooding. I feel like brooding too. I could make a nice nest in my room and only come out to eat and drink for the next few months at least. Yep, that sounds nice.
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