Studmuffin

I hope you like Rhode Island reds...  A few days ago I finally ordered chicks to add to our chicken flock.  I got 100 "Rhodies", 50 Ameraucanas, 25 Delawares, 25 White Leghorns, 25 Welsummers, 25 Minorcas and 50 Penedensecas.  These last ones were a "straight run," meaning I will get both pullets and male chicks, so we will be eating the 25 males at 5 months or so. 
In addition to the layers, I have ordered 100 red broilers (meat birds).  These are bred to grow fast.  In 12 weeks they will get to broiler size and develop a large breast, which the layer birds never get, though they have a more intense chicken flavor. 
This is our trial run for meat birds, but we ordered more than we need for our own use, so we will take advance orderes.  The birds will arrive on April 7th.  I promise to make a photo documentary of the little chicks from day on.  The meat birds will be ready to harvest the first week in July, the Penedensecas in early September.  By then we should start seeing the first eggs from the new flock.  By October we will be able to add more egg subscriptions to our usual routes.