I started with chickens maybe a little backwards. As a teacher, I wanted my students to learn about life cycles, development and responsibility so what better way than to incubate some chicken eggs in my classroom. My sister had chickens and fertile eggs, so we set 12 of those the first year and had 7 hatch. Luckily, some hatched during the school day so that the kids could witness this miracle. Those chicks came home with us, but didn't stay long, a few were eaten by our dogs when a friend was chick watching for us (
) and the remaining chickens went to live with my sister's flock. For the next 5 years, anything that hatched in my classroom was relocated back to my sister's little farm. That last year, my sister's flock had taken a huge loss to a wiley little weasel that found its way into their barn. Being a thoughtful sister, I order 10 Buff Orpington pullets as a gift to her that Spring. When I told her, she had to decline them because her husband had said no more chickens. So, I had these chicks on order and nowhere for them to go. They came in and we just couldn't look at those cute fluffybutts and not decide to keep them. My hubby was not remotely enthusiastic about them, but he has come to appreciate them more and he does like the eggs. We now have more than 50 assorted adult birds and almost all of those have been incubated and hatched here. I don't count the chicks until I know who is staying. Besides, that number would really scare my husband.
My dream is to have a barn that is big enough to house all my different pens of chickens. Right now, we have many smaller coops and its takes FOREVER to feed and water everyone.
My dream is to have a barn that is big enough to house all my different pens of chickens. Right now, we have many smaller coops and its takes FOREVER to feed and water everyone.
