It all started this Spring when Norm and Ele were getting new chicks and Garth decided we needed a few too. They kept the chicks in their basement with a heat lamp while they were tiny. The kids loved to go visit them!
Olivia didn't really like them. She preferred the safety of Norm's lap.
Eventually, she warmed up to them.
Garth meanwhile, bought and assembled a chicken house at the Big R. Norm saw it and was sure it was too small for our chickens and insisted they build a proper chicken house. He and Garth built this amazing house which Garth dubbed the "Chicken Condo."
With the house in place, we went to the farm and picked out four chicks (that were then more like teenagers) to bring home.
My cousin's 7 year old was hatching chicks and selling them to earn money so we bought three more chickens and added them to the mix. It is amazing how there are two cliques. The Bardrocks stick together and didn't want anything to do with the newbies. They picked on them for the first couple of weeks, but now they tolerate each other.
Next Garth built a little chicken wire fence so they could get out of the house without getting eaten and without scaring the kids (or pooping on my porch!)
I am not entirely opposed to pets that have a purpose but it was made clear from the beginning that these chickens are not my responsibility. I have plenty of people to look after. Garth and the kids are the ones that feed, water, and play with them.
As they got bigger, they started to spread their wings, literally. One big Bardrock would fly up and bounce on the top of Garth's fence. After several days of them flying the coup, it was time to clip their wings. It was for their own safety. . .we had to protect our investment!
My cousin's 7 year old was hatching chicks and selling them to earn money so we bought three more chickens and added them to the mix. It is amazing how there are two cliques. The Bardrocks stick together and didn't want anything to do with the newbies. They picked on them for the first couple of weeks, but now they tolerate each other.
Next Garth built a little chicken wire fence so they could get out of the house without getting eaten and without scaring the kids (or pooping on my porch!)
I am not entirely opposed to pets that have a purpose but it was made clear from the beginning that these chickens are not my responsibility. I have plenty of people to look after. Garth and the kids are the ones that feed, water, and play with them.
As they got bigger, they started to spread their wings, literally. One big Bardrock would fly up and bounce on the top of Garth's fence. After several days of them flying the coup, it was time to clip their wings. It was for their own safety. . .we had to protect our investment!
Turns out that one of the hens we got from my cousin, is actually a rooster. He hasn't started crowing yet and he's really the prettiest one out there so we are not sure what to do with him. His two hens might be lost without him. 
After months of anticipation. . .
We got an egg! We are now getting about 4 a day and expect we will get more when the newer hens start laying too. 
After months of anticipation. . .
We got an egg! We are now getting about 4 a day and expect we will get more when the newer hens start laying too. 
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