Sunday, January 5, 2014

We Have Chickens!

When we looked at this house to buy one of the questions I asked was are we allowed to have chickens.  I didn't know if we ever would have them but I liked knowing that if I wanted to I could and that I didn't have to ask permission to an association to do anything.
After a couple months we ordered a chicken coop.  It arrived and we put it together  and the kids played in it with their stuffed chickens.  They seemed excited about having chicks but our move was stressful on one of our kids and I didn't want to throw too many new things at them at once.  So we put the coop in the shed.



I figured we would wait until spring to get chicks but when I started looking into the local farms around here many of them had babies ready around the first of the year, the reason being that at 12 weeks old they can run and play outside…and 12 weeks after the first of the year is spring.  I understood that timing.  You have to keep chicks warm anyway so you might as well keep them warm in the winter than keeping them warm when it's warm outside.

(You can see a stuffed duckling hanging out in the nesting box while I'm building it)

I found a local farmer not far from me that had chicks in the breeds that I liked so I called and go the okay to pick some up.  Drew came with me for the ride up there, he was more excited than I was.  When we got to the farm he was a little nervous because the roosters were strutting around outside and he was afraid they would peck at him but once he saw all the babies he wasn't nervous anymore.  The farmer also had ducklings.  Oh, I wish we had a pond.  Those ducks looked so cute!

(There are 3 Dominique's and 2 Buff Orpingtons)




(Chicks are very curious)

(It was love at first sight)



I was nervous with one of my kids being gentle enough with the chicks, since our move they have shown some aggression and acting out because they don't know exactly how to express all the feelings of loss and change.  But both my kids are amazing with these chicks.  My son loves them like they are his children, and they love him too.  I thought he would be nervous because he can be shy around new things but he's a natural.  My daughter is a little nervous to play with them but she loves to watch them and laugh at them and show them all her toys.

(Who knew chickens liked to cuddle)

(First thing this morning)

(My little chicken whisperer)





This morning the kids woke up early and were so excited to check on the chicks.  I was nervous that they would be too cold over night but they were fine, I have the heat light on them.


This is a special little chick, it had yucky poopy butt last night and the other 4 chicks didn't want to snuggle it.  A lone chick with yucky butt doesn't have much of a chance so I gave it a warm butt bath and snuggled it for a while before I put it back in it's little box for the night.  If we end up losing one my money is on this one, it just seems a little more shy and withdrawn from the others.  But let's hope we don't.  







1 comment:

  1. Aww... how adorable! Hope the lone chick makes it through the tough crowd. Poor thing. My guys are so jealous of your set up. Too awesome and fun! xo P

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