Video taken on 2022-05-25 to document when I got this batch of chicks into the brooder. My sister hatched them from my leghorn eggs. I had originally ordered a straight run of light brown Leghorn chicks from the local feed store but was told the hatcheries they use were out this year and wouldn’t have any in stock until next year.
The reason I wanted more chicks was because I wanted a bigger more apt leghorn rooster. Last years prize Leghorn rooster had become injured and had to be put down. The backup Leghorn rooster, however, was a runt, and never grew into a confident take-charge rooster. I also have a few Buff Orpington/Leghorn mixed hens I’d like to give away, and move fully into a leghorn only flock.
When the feed store notified me about the shortage of light brown Leghorns, my flock was roostered by a Buff Orpington/Leghorn cross my sister had hatched for me last year. He had easily dominated the weaker secondary Leghorn rooster, but was bringing the hens up to me any time I was around. I don’t like that. I prefer the roosters to keep the flock away from me while I am outside. So, I put him down, then waited over 2 weeks before starting to collect eggs to hatch. (To give the weaker Leghorn enough time to mate with all the Leghorn hens.)
I’m just posting this here for my own personal record, so next year I can jog my memory if need be. So now I’m hoping to get 2 good Leghorn roosters. The sad thing is, 18 eggs went into lockdown out of 24, and of the 18, only eight survived. I was hoping for a much better survival rate, so despite how late in the year it is, I’ll be taking another two dozen eggs to my sister for incubation and hatching. I guess that’s why they say “don’t count your chickens before they hatch”.