Raising Chickens

These chickens first came to us as 11 very small chicks just hatched from the egg. At the time they were 10 somewhat white chicks and one black one, which we soon found out was a rooster. A local kinder garden class had watched them hatch and then the teacher, a friend of the family talked Vicki in to taking them, actually I am sure that it was not much work at all to get Vicki to try her hand again in the backyard chicken business. It most likely just consisted of letting Vicki know that they were available.

Chicks grow amazingly fast. It was not too long before we realized our quandary, we did not just have one rooster, we had five of the ill mannered knot heads. It does not do the male gender much good to have compare themselves to these birds. They eat all the time, boss all the hens around and pull their feathers, and take up space in the roost. To be honest, they are not all that different than some of the males I deal with out in the public.

Chickens can fly! Do not doubt that. This is mine and Ryan's attempt to put some netting over the top of the dog run to keep them in. So far it has worked, but you never know with these guys.

I guess it is only fitting that these chickens are now roosting in Pete's old homestead. No doubt that if Pete is looking down from above he has taken an interest in this development. I almost wish he was still around to teach them a little respect. I do understand that for the roosters, they are the baddest boys in their universe. Pete would convince them the error of their ways pretty rapidly.

These roosters are on a fast approaching collision with reality. As the weather gets warmer, their life expectancy starts dropping rapidly. Their two greatest advocates are Delaney and Liam, who hate the thought that these male malcontents will soon end up in the cooking pot. They are quick to argue for life and leniency for these guys, but I think it will all wind down to a final accounting. I do not know yet who will win this battle.