Backyard Chickens

Pullets

Coop

First Egg

Acrosic Poem by Paislee

P lay's the piano
A wesome
I s very funny
S ometimes she's shy
L ove acts like her middle name
E xtremly cute
E xpert at making babies laugh

J ane is her middle name
A lways looking for a friend
N ever gets the bad grades
E xcellent at singing

S mells like nothing (I think this one is hilarious)
M akes pictures of friends
I t's hard to get her to stop talking (her and her 3 siblings)
T ithing is easy for her (love, LOVE, this)
H as a good responsibility for her chickens

age ten: fourth grade!

I found this sitting on my desk one afternoon, it was something she had put together. I love the confidence she displays, the truth she speaks, and how well she knows herself. I'm so proud of her and all she does!

A Chicken or Four

Our children love animals. They have always wanted more pets, and we haven't allowed it. I feel like we have enough "animals" in our house already and didn't want another cat or dog in the mix. I've always thought that chickens would be a fun outdoor, contributing pet to have. After much deliberation between Jake and I and many, many pleadings by Paislee we decided to get some chicks. This little lady is Grant's. Her name is Tobasco Sauce, we call her Basco for short. Grant is convinced that it is a he chicken, Roosters are illegal in the City of Meridian, so no boys, or fertilized eggs for us.
So far they are a success, even without them laying eggs yet! The kids love to check on their chicks, if they disappear for any amount of time I always finding them hanging out by the brooder in the garage. Before we get in the van to go anywhere, they check on the chicks first. Paislee makes sure they have food, water, and clean bedding to sleep in.

They are finally old enough to go into a coop (you have to wait until they have all of their feathers, or are about 6 weeks old). So we took them outside, one by one, to see how they liked the outdoors. It was a success. Trying to catch them in the brooder is fun, but tricky. Put them outside on the grass and they go so quiet and still.

They don't peck at the kids. They let them pet them, I think they may actually have enjoyed it. The yellow hens are Orpingtons and the colored ones are Ameraucanas.

Parker's chicken is named Butterscotch.

As you can see they are very protective of their chicks, below is Ella's, Caramel.

They are finally sturdy enough to allow the kids to hold them. I worried for the first few weeks that Grant would squeeze them to death, he didn't, but I still worried.

Grant is "kissing" Paislee's chicken, Vanilla, below. I never thought chickens were a kissable type of animal, apparently Grant does.

So in a few more months we will be collecting fresh, organic, blue, green, and brown eggs from our sweet little hens!

That is what happens when a chicken isn't so sure a 3 year old boy should be trusted with it's life!