I regard Columbian Rock chickens as a grass roots standard - real chickens, tough, pleasant to each other, pleasant to humans, not troubled with disease issues - solid, 'deliver the mail' type farm friends! And unlike hybrids, they can reproduce in a predictable way!
We want to hatch our own replacement Columbians, so, having had some experience with incubators while our children were in school, I put together a new unit for this purpose and am testing it out. But really, we don't need more chickens right yet. Thus my advert for Columbian Rock chicks. We have worked hard to provide a small agricultural system that we feel is compatible with good animal and human health, and I value being able to generate chickens built on this ground work. I suspect there are a few others who value the same thinking. These 2025 chicks may appeal to you! The Kijiji ad text follows.
We change up our small acreage chicken flock every two years. I made a new incubator and want it tested for use in 2026, so I hope to sell my 2025 test run, as we do not need more birds right yet. $2.00 per chick is the remarkable price! Not only is the price good, but the heritage of the chicks is unique. The flock is as organic and free range as it is possible to be. They live in a solar condo, feast on totally organic grains and vegetables, and come and go without fear in an irrigated, security fenced acre of forest and grass. Chicken heaven – and that heritage has got to rub off on their offspring! Hatch date is June 13. We should have 30 to 40 chicks arriving. Pickup flexibility is possible as we can put the new chicks into our brooder house to allow some stall time. If pickup is considerably after hatch date, we may be after a bit more money and I think it is good to get the little peepers into their permanent home as soon as possible.
Early on, once we owned an acreage, we invested in a very large chicken yard enclosed with a six foot tall chain link fence. The relatively small flock is free to come and go from their classy solar home at all times and apart from hawks, the fence keeps out all other hazards. That fence system was a marvellous long term investment!
I have built some elaborate incubators for educational purposes but my current version is very simple and very effective at controlling temperature and humidity. It was made, simply, 'to do the job'! We want to be able to use our own organic eggs and build on the organic base that we have established on our small farm.
Our chicken yard is close to an acre in size and has grass zones and lots of trees and bushes - ideal for chickens who do not like being in totally open and unprotected areas. When a hawk circles, the roosters react, and everyone disappears in the underbrush. It is amazing the way the chickens root around in the area, which is large enough to not be over grazed by our small flock. Further, we have a very effective irrigation system so it is easy to keep the zone nice and green, even in dry years.
