I love my chickens - don't tell the dogs, but they may be my favorite part of the farm. But, they do not have really long life spans, and it is time to get a few chicks to supplement the flock. Some years, I have ordered specific breeds from a hatchery, because I can be a hen snob - and I just adore buff orpingtons and I can buy all hens. Some years, I have bought day old chicks from a local breeder, who I love, but her chicks are straight run, which means I end up with roosters. I do not care for roosters, and although the breeder is happy to take the roosters back and give me credit, I kind of dread the whole process. By the time they are old enough to tell they are roosters, I love them. I tried butchering them one year - that did NOT go well. Some years, I get chicks and let my Ethel raise them; some years, I raise them in my basement. Some years, I go to Tractor Supply and just buy generic egg layers and raise them. I am absolutely paralyzed with indecision on what to do this year.....I make decisions all day long - it should not be this hard and spring is coming up quickly