Both my husband and I have had the opportunity to grow up with chickens. I grew up on a little farm in Idaho where as a young girl I had the job with my younger sister to gather the eggs everyday. My husband grew up in the city in Utah but also had the opportunity to grow up with chickens. We both knew that we wanted to live in the country but the job opportunity presented itself in the city so that is where we started our family. We always talked about getting chickens and hoped to be able to eventually get them. My mother sent me a book on how to be more self sufficient and after reading it, I knew right then and there we needed to get chickens and so since it was spring (about 2 weeks after Easter) as a family we went to our local animal supply store and obtained five cute little puff balls. Instantly they were named Ginger (RIR) Cinnamon Sugar (Red Sexlink) Black Licorice (Black Sexlink) Easter (Americana) Golda (Buff Orpington). I was excited to hear that cute little chicken chirp again that I remembered as a little girl. My husband and I just sat there that first night listening and laughing at how cute they were and how exciting it was to think they would produce eggs and we were determined to make sure we took good care of them so they would produce us healthy eggs. Little did we know what a change this would be for our family. I have three children and all became extremely attached to the chicks. They would wake up and immediately go to the baby chicks to see how they were. Pick them up and love them. My son who is seven soon became "mother hen" he knew each one by their chirp and could tell if all was well or not. He would pick up each one and love it and kiss it and hold it until it would fall asleep in his hand and then would move onto the next until it did the same. He had his permanent spot right next to them that was always saved for him. We have always struggled with our son, but when we got these chickens a change came over him. He needed something to love. He loved taking care of them. I remember just sitting there listening to him talk about each chicken and what he loved about each one. When it was time to build the coop he was involved in every step from drawing plans to hammering in nails and painting the coop. Everyday he goes out to open the door to let the chickens out and give them their daily attention. When the chickens started laying he would sit and wait until they were done laying and learned which color egg went with each chicken. I got backyard chickens to be more self sufficient and to bring a little country to my children in the city. Trying to give them a great experience that my husband and I both got to have as children. I never thought a decision to be self sufficient would bring our family so much happiness. We love our chickens!

This is our son holding his favorite chicken Easter