We have added four chicks to the Brown family this spring. We've been bit by the farming bug I'm afraid. Some of our close friends are adding chickens, pigs, and even cows to their families this spring. Andy and I, being "farmer wannabes" decided to try our hand and ordered 4 chickens - and they got here this week. Here they are...
Now, we very carefully explained to the children that these chicks are VERY fragile and needed to stay under the heat lamp for the next week or two before we could really play with them. We can pet them and hold them, but they need to stay in the school room bathroom (a warm room with no outside windows for drafts - and away from our cats!) so the chicks didn't get sick. I got very solemn head nods - even Christian seemed to understand we were not to play with these chicks. So, having everyone in agreement, I walked away. Here's what I found when I returned about five minutes later...
A new member of the road crew...
Some additions to Noah's Ark (the fourth chick was tucked soundly inside the ark)!My children obey my EVERY word!!
Now, some of you may be wondering what we are actually going to do with these chicks. Well, first and foremost we are using them for a great learning tool. The girls have been doing research on chickens and are now learning the difference between field research and secondary research. We're going to avoid primary research on animals for now. The other reason is we are teaching our kids where food actually comes from. Now, this might sound a bit harsh at first, but I look at is as the ultimate organic food option. We are raising these chicks for meat. They will be slaughtered this fall. The kids will help us take care of the chicks, clean the coop (once we move them outside), and feed them wholesome food. These chickens will be very well cared for and then once they fulfill "the measure of their creation" they will feed us this winter. Next year we'd like to get some hens for eggs and keep them for a few years, but we wanted to learn how to do all this first, before we had to try to keep them warm all winter.
So, that's what's going on in our neck of the woods. We are all well and continue our love of learning. What's new with you?
2 comments:
Hens are good for laying eggs for two years. You need six months from chick to hen for future birds to become layers. Also, you will want one, and no more than one, rooster so that the hens actually lay eggs. As my parents (before their stint as missionaries) were doing chickens for the eggs (my mother sold the excess eggs to people), she used a banty rooster (smaller than the hens and no fear of fertilization) in her coop. Though, outside of feeding the chickens/chicks, there isn't a lot of care for them... though, chickens (like pigs) will eat just about anything to include other chickens if they happen to die in the coop. You will also want to make the coop predator proof: raccoons and foxes are your primary predators for where you live. Though you will find that cats also try to get into the coop. I think that is all of the thoughts I have at the moment... well not all, but I will refrain from sharing my opinion of chickens and leave it at that.
Your busy chicks made me smile, big.
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