I wanted to add eight or ten laying hens this year, but just didn't have the time or energy for raising chicks, so I put it off until next year.
Today, someone gave me six Plymouth Rock pullets, two months old....for free! All the hard work is done. I just have to take the next three weeks to shift them from mash to whole grains, then they can join my flock.
Meanwhile, my six new chicks are all thriving, mama hen is feeding and caring for them like an old pro. So if even two pullets make it to adulthood from that hatch, I will have reached my goal, without any expense and hardly any work at all......yeah, baby!
Oh, and I made a loaf of whole wheat artisan bread on my stone today, it was AWESOME with some fresh chevre for lunch.....but my stone mysteriously split in two in the oven!!!