The Newest Family Members

Although I've wanted chickens forever, it was about a year ago that I became seriously interested in getting some and started a "chicken campaign" with Joe.

On Saturday we had a few errands to run in town and I asked Joe if we could run into one of the local feed stores just to see what it would cost to get set up. Little did I know that once six little kids saw the baby chicks, we would not be able to leave without getting some. (Okay, it wasn't all them. It was a lot me, as well.)

It really was not my intention to buy any that day. We were just looking. I guess that's how we ended up with eleven. But look at them. How can anyone resist? We bought four "Reds" (New Hampshire Reds? Rhode Island Reds?? not sure), two "Ambers" (have no clue on this one, even using Google), and five Araucanas. (And please don't ask me their names. I'm a terrible mom and cannot remember them all. And I cannot identify which chick belongs to what name.)

Mom-Mom had an antique chicken brooder in her attic, which was recently discovered. No one knows why it was up there, but we picked it up on our way home on Saturday afternoon. It's absolutely perfect. I imagine Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop raising baby chicks many decades ago. (My mother said they also raised turkeys, but they were mean.)

The children love the chicks. Right now the chickies are living in our recently remodeled laundry room, right off the kitchen. While we have an old (130-year-old) chicken coop on our property, it's a little close to the house and where we set up the kids' swimming pool. Over the next few weeks Joe will have to build a new one.

**Thanks for all your support from my last post. Tonight is the "Meet the Candidates" forum and I'm freaking out. I have to answer questions. On TV. Please pray for me.**