New Beginnings and a Big Loss

The Araucanas came in a few days early so I got to pick up 10 new baby chicks yesterday. Absolutely adorable and I need to post a picture. Now the bad news. Got up this morning and the coop door for the 22 peeps was open and 7 dead and 13 missing and presumed dead. The only 2 left are a New Hampshire and Rhode Island Red. I am really bummed.  My guess is the coyotes are back. We saw them last year during the day and something took our Jersey Giant during the day a couple of weeks ago.

Bantams

I tried moving the bantams in with the larger chickens. Didn't work!! The bantams are too small and can easily fit through the holes in the fence. That might not have happened if the others weren't pecking the heck out of them! They are about 1/2 the size of the larger chickens even though the age difference isn't that great. These are cute little guys. Well 2 guys and 2 females. But I wouldn't buy them again. They just don't grow fast enough.

Growing large!

The little chicks are growing. The last picture compares them to a year old chicken. Everything I have read says butcher them between 16-18 weeks which would put us around Aug. 25th.  I have read that they can be done as young as 12 weeks but that would apply to the cockerels.

They Have All Moved Outside

As of 4/30 all the chickens and ducks have moved outside except for the Bantams. 

Now to try and figure out the costs of keeping chickens. So far 2 bags of food. By the time we butcher the first chickens we will have just about finished the 3 bags. 
Cost of food $43.29
Cost of chicks $76.34

Bought heat lamp $7, waterer $3 that can be used again.