Keeping Chickens

We have chickens!!!!!

 

The Girls

     One of our neighbors moved, but they were downsizing and couldn't take the chickens with them, so they offered them to us. The night before they needed to be out of the house. So, Mr. TheZoo went over with the biggest boy the next morning, and hauled the entire contraption over to the house. We've had them for a little over a month now, and we LOVE the little ladies! We have four, 3 year old Rhode Island Red's. One of them is kind of grouchy sometimes, but over all, they're great. We are going to turn our 'extra' shed into a coop and build a large run around it so that we can add a few more chickens next spring.

     I wanted to wait to add more because I'd like to be sure that we can keep them alive through the winter. I've researched backyard chicken keeping until my eyes bled. Not really. But I did read quite a bit. I'm feeling certain (nail biting) that we can do this. I think it's pretty cool that I can feed them fruit and veggie leavings, but still have something to add to my compost heap. And eggs! Oh, the eggs are incredibly tasty! 

     Do you know how many people keep backyard chickens? Millions of 'em! Chicken keepers are everywhere! There are blogs, Twitter accounts, facebook pages, and websites entirely about keeping back yard chickens. It's a world I never knew existed! Seriously, you guys, I am currently so excited about this that when I see kitchen curtains with a chicken print, or a chicken motif lace table cloth, or t-shirts printed with a chicken shouting "BAGOK!" I.MUST.HAVE.IT. I honestly never cared to have black labs adorning plates or clocks on my walls (sorry, Sadie, I love you, but not on the walls) but I could put chicken art in all the places!  

     I can't wait to show you all what we do with the new chicken coop. I'm sure it won't look anything like this , but it'll be function and, maybe cute on the outside. I'd like to find a bunch of tin chicken signs and big stars to put on the outside. 

Do you have a chicken coop? Did you go fancy, or sensible?