When you just can't stand grocery store meat any longer

Two years ago when we started raising chickens, I had zero intentions of ever having meat birds. I wouldn't even read the broiler section of farming books that I was reading. "I don't have to worry about that" I said to myself. Only egg layers here!

Never say never, is my new motto. Meet the newest chicks on the farm. 

Sorry for the redness, the heat lamp makes everything a lovely shade. We went to Tractor Supply Company this weekend to get supplies for the eggs we will be hatching, and came home with 8 extra items. These are Cornish Rocks, which are specially bred to be raised for meat, and meat alone. Even if we wanted to keep them beyond 8 weeks, their bodies would begin giving out on them. This makes me a little sad. When I purchased them, I didn't connect these Cornish rocks with the hatchery Cornish cross breed. I was thinking they weren't the same, and were probably less of a meat only type. I was wrong, these are exactly the same. 

Maybe it is better this way, for our first time. Since I know they can not live longer than a certain amount of weeks, I can't back out of taking them to the processor. Keeping them would be even more cruel. 

They are definitely not as active as our first baby chicks, and barely walk around the brooder. Eat. Sleep. Poop. 

Even so, they are pretty darn cute. I'm hoping that once they feather out, we will stop thinking how adorable they are and detach a little from them.