- Jul 23, 2010
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The DH wanted chickens...I didn't want another responsibility. I had always wanted to get a few hens but over the years had never had the opportunity or the time, or the space or the money. Something was always in the way. Now I thought we were to close to retirement and that dream of jumping in the motorhome(we don't have yet) and taking off on a Tuesday for parts unknown. But small problem. I don't retire from my job for 4.5 years even tho he can in 6 months. So...right now I have the time, the money, the place, and the desire to go for it. Well, a few hens turned into 27. I seemed logical since I had to order them, they travel better in groups, they are cheaper to send in groups, and they were to darned cute to pick just one kind. So at midnight on a worknight out popped my handy dandy credit card and 27 babies were ordered. Now I researched as best I could for three weeks, read several recommended books, absorbed everything I could on the forum. I didn't just order for cute. Disposition, laying, size, etc were a part of it too. So...several colors, 18 breeds and the 5 original Rhode Island Reds the DH wanted we have a chicken order. They are due August 6ish from Natures Hatchery. It had the least amount of bad press I could find, the prices were competitive, and they had most of what I wanted this strange time of year. So the next day I realize half the order is not on my email receipt and I put in the wrong zip so I called them directly to fix it. The man took better than a half hour on the phone with me to go over each and every pick I'd made, make recommendations, and give much appreciated advice. Now I wait....and waitg....and wait. There will be a big work party soon to do a good old fashioned bar raising( actually a dog run makeover and a shed remodel. My girls will have a lovely 8X 12 house with a 15 X 40 foot out door run. The sons are diggging a trench around it and adding concrete so the preditors can't get in and the run is being covered. There is a first gate into the small yard before the door to the house. Like in an aviary. Then another out of the house to the yard. There will be flower boxed windows, water, power, and my son wants to know where to install the A/C and heat pump(just kidding)...sort of. So in between work, teens, soccer, 8 kids 11 grandkids, 1 goat, 5 dogs, 2 birds and a cat we are getting ready for the babies. I've spoken to the post master in our liitle berg and his mail gets there at 4:30 AM. I will call him that morning and if the babies are there he will let me in at that time to get them, water them and take then home. I have taken the day off and they are due on a Friday with no soccer scheduled so I can devote the time to them..Did I mention we got two bantans and are calling them Fricasse and Chicklet and have dubbed them trial chickens to see if we can handle this? Fricasse and Chicklet played on my wool carpet this afternoon, jumpng all over excited grandchildren with an adult stationed between each two children for safe keeping? Yes, they are living in a heated tub on my dining room table because the DH didn't want them lonely in the ATTACHED garage. The 27 WILL be in the garage, not my dining room. Yeah both feet in.. no going back.. ain't it great! Grammy in Washington
