Blog Archive

Thursday, February 18, 2010

They're heeeerrree!

And it almost didn't happen.. thank you very much google  maps.

Yesterday my husband and I headed out with our youngest to the Schwartz Chicken Farm in Parma Idaho.

We knew we didn't have too much time because of long set appointments that we had scheduled.

So we drove out to Parma. We pass through Caldwell... and then into Notus.. and then into Parma. I've gotta say I'm biased because I love Parma.
I love the rolling spaces and the blue brush and the stark beauty of it all. It was looking especially gorgeous this morning with the fog sitting on the hills like gauzy cotton blanket.

So we took out our handy dandy phones/pda's and google mapped the directions to the Schwartz Farm.
3500 Elmore Rd Parma Idaho.

The maps directed up to a golf course. Then do a dead end street off of Ward lane. We'd been driving over 1 1/2 hours and we were due to be on our way back to Boise already.
Conversational polite scuffles ensued when my husband kept insisting that we come back another day.
I finally made a statement... "I'm not leaving Parma without my baby chicks!"

Silence. Then pouting on my point. My husband realizing how important it was to me charged ahead on our mission (I think the twelve point verbal presentation about the importance of getting what I want helped)... then there it was. I saw the Schwartz Farm Coop! We're Here... I think I actually clapped.

**Insert glorious opera aria here**

It may be a bit of a drive-- but oh so so so worth it.

I had exactly thirty minutes to get in there pick out my chicks and head home.

Ok-- so forgive me if the following sounds like an infomercial, but I have to brag on my chicken breeders Jim & Martha Schwartz. (and this is NOT a paid endorsement)

Jim and his Martha were wonderful. Big smiles and greetings from both of them.
They showed us around the coops and gave great information on the chicks. Martha was great at giving a guided tour of the chickens and any detail you want to know.
And the chickens! Oh-- I was like a hypoglyciemic kid in a candy store! Beautiful chickens everywhere, and in such great shape.
I chose Jim & Martha Schwartz' smaller chicken farm because I wanted a more personal experience. Here are some other reasons why.
  • They guarantee the sex of their standard size chickens. If you by chance get a rooster.. just take em back and they'll make it right. 
  • They are both founts of chicken knowledge and get back to you with quick responses. All of my questions were answered in a personable way. They really want to help their customers.
  • They really care about their chickens and it shows. The chickens were all in such good form and really beautiful. 
  • They are local! Buy Idaho! 
  • For the experience. There is something special about going to a working chicken farm. Buying from a commercial hatchery or pet supply store is ok.... but I guarantee that you won't get the experience and the memories you will from a real personal experience. 
  • They want  you to succeed. The relationship they have with their customers doesn't stop after you pick up your poultry. It will be a relationship.
If you are in the market for a coop you should definitely check out Jim's Coops! He has a selection and different types and styles. My favorite was the coop that looked like an outhouse, complete with toilet seat brooder ports! And his coops are made of cedar- (way good for chickens). But he can also build custom coops too.
If you are looking for a more personal experience in getting any of your poultry stock you really should go to the Schwartz farm first.

And psstt... they are getting a shipment of the Belgian D'Uccle Mille de Fleur' Bantams on Friday... EEEH!!! These are such sweet docile beautiful birds and sold out on almost all the chick provider sites via mail order and finding them around here isn't much better.
They are gonna go fast so better get your deposit in now!

So without further ado... meet my new baby chicks.!







2- Buff Orpingtons
2- Plymouth Barred Rock
2- Ameraucana's (I wish I had gotten more)
1- Buff Silkie
8- Silver laced Wyandotte

They are all settled in and cozy.

Here is the info for the

Schwartz Chicken Farm Coops or Chickens
3500 Elmore Rd Parma ID 83660
208-674-1012.

And here are the directions. Coming from Boise take I-84 towards Caldwell.
Take the exit 20, then make a left. Stay on through Notus and Parma. Then turn right on Pearl Rd and stay on the road. Turn left on Elmore to 3500 Elmore road. It should be on your right.
Just stay on those roads and you'll get there. 

P.S. Jim is also an author and has several Country lore books for sale. Definitely worth a read and priced way reasonable! I'm going to pick up a couple next time I'm out-- they will make great gifts for any Idahoan.
Check out the page and order your books online at JimSchwartzBooks.com then pick them out when you go to pick up your chicks!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Chick-mas eve

It's Chick-Mas eve! I can only liken the excitement to being a 11 year old with front row seats to the Jonas Brothers concert.
YEEEE!!



I was able to find everything I needed at the local Zamzows. They were really helpful, but a little low on stock as they said that Chicken stuff is starting to fly off the shelf. I did have to settle for plastic feeders. (I would have preferred galvanized. Brooder lamp with the 250 watt bulb is set up.
But the supplies I bought will more than do. 
1- Adjustable Brooder lamp $12.99
1- 250 Clear white brooder heat bulb $6.49 (I bought the cheaper clear lamp instead of the red one which only emits heat. The sales clerk let me know that it doesn't really matter which type you use)
1- Pine shavings in a compressed bale $9.89
1- Package of Zamzows starter chick feed - $11.99
1- Feeder base - $2.99
1- Fount base (water) - $1.99 (I actually grabbed the last one they had on the shelf)
2- Poultry Jars 1 qt. 2x 2.49 - $4.98
1- Poultry Vitamins $3.99
Total with tax came to $58.63 

Not bad I think for everything my chicks should need for the first few months of their life. 

I used an empty storage bin and a shelf in our mud room.

My brooder has been sanitized, a thin layer of pine shavings laid. Starter feed is loaded, and water is waiting to be filled. We have a cloth screen that will lay underneath a heavier metal screen.
I need to pick up a thermometer to ensure that the temp stays 99 degrees. Then each week after we will have to lower the temp from the brooder lamp by 5 degrees but shutting if off at times or using an oil heater I placed on the floor next to the brooder. 

I am agonizing about having to look at a silkie chick and just say no.. I'll tell you this readers.. I'm going to really try.

My biggest challenge is going to be keeping our kitty Pabu and our dog Moosie from disturbing (ie: eating) the baby chicks. Family members have been instructed to keep animals out for the first week.

Next post you'll see from me I will be the proud Mama of 14 baby chirpity chicks!

Monday, February 15, 2010

T-Minus three days...

Giddy with egg-citement.

My chicks are coming, my chicks are coming! This Thursday I will be picking up my chicks. My order has increased and changed a bit.
I was expecting to have a coop well underway in the construction stages by now. Unfortunately some sad family business kept us from being able to dedicate any amount of time to it.

Instead I used my handy-dandy computer to email my favorite chicken breeder- Jim and changed my order.
All are 1 day old chicks. This hopefully will allow for more time to get our coop built and chicken ready within the three months before introducing them to the wilds of our backyard.
2- Australorp
2- Ameraucana
10- Silver Laced Wyandotte

Did I mention that Jim Schwartz will guarantee the sex?!  How awesome is that! If a little rooster hardware begins to appear I can just swap him for a hen from Jim. (I wouldn't even begin to know how to sex a rooster.. I guess I'll know when he starts crowing).

I am getting a few insurance chicks as I hear it is normal for casualties along the way. And I'm going to try my best not to buy a few silkies... I wonder if they make a chicken patch for addictions.

I think I've almost perfected my coop plans and am now in the bidding war process. Thanks to everyone for their input on the coop design and for letting me know what is important to you. I promise if my coop goes well.. I will be happy to endorse the builder to you. And YES- for those DIY'ers I made sure to ask about a DIY Kit option.
To be safe I want to make sure the work is quality work. I've had bids so far everywhere from $200-400 in price range. While it would be easier to go with the lowest bid, I want to make sure that I go with quality too.
From the input I got the average spending range is $275- $375.

So keep checking for updates, better yet, become a subscriber and you can receive updates as they come. Save yourself the time of checking in every day.

For those of you who have chicks coming the release date for most hatcheries is Feb 17--- so make sure your brooders are ready! For information on setting up a brooder visit one of the links visit Backyardchickens.com

Bawk- Bawk!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Coop Dreams

I've become obsessed with designing the perfect coop for my new flock of backyard birds.
Generally when it comes to Chicken Coops you have three options.

1. Purchase a pre-made coop or kit either online or built locally. Prices range from around $400-$2000
2. Make your own coop. There are plans available to buy on the internet or you can design your own. Prices can vary- it can be less than $50 if you have scrap lumber, some spare paint and are handy with tools.

Here's my dilemna. I loved the pretty coops that are sold online as pre-mades. What I don't love is their price tag starting at $400 for a coop that needs to be assembled and that doesn't include the $100 shipping charge..


Another big problem is that I am not even a novice when it comes to wood working or even just plain building. I once built a cat scratch post.. it took me four days.
My brilliant husband isn't much better either... actually he's worse.

But we are adamant in our intent to do this project. After looking at about fifty different plans, we've decided on a hen house with a detachable chicken run and a slope roof. It has five roosts- enough for up to 10 chickens. Although I won't need that many, it's just nice to have the extra room.

I've been drawing and re-drawing plans and finally came up with a coop that looks almost exactly like this.

Assembled and shipped this coop prices at $1900.00
I'm hoping to build it for less than $450.00 which includes the purchase of a few power tools and paint (I know we're bad Idahoans for not owning power tools).

My plan dimensions are a bit different. Instead of the four roosts from the pre-fab coop, mine will have five, and a couple other niceties added.
Best of all it will be on four heavy duty wheels so the chicken house can be moved to new spots in the yard.

Almost equally importantly it will be an attractive coop. With neighbors it's not good to build some funky atrocity that looks like a small meth lab.

I will post pictures of the finished product online.

Become a follower of my blog and I will e-mail you the plans and detailed pictures.

Gaining momentum and have a plan now.

I've been reading more about keeping chickens and find I'm more convinced than ever to begin this little quasi-movement towards organic eggs.
There is something that is intrinsic in many of us to find our way back to a simpler way.
Lives have become less about acquiring material things and more about acquiring experience and cherishing the process of the journey...