Our new property isn't fully fenced but about 1 1/2 acres around the house are. Within that are are two dilapidated pens. One was definitely a chicken run with a few nesting boxes. The other we're not sure.
I decided to clear it, so we could use the posts and make a new chicken run in it.
Under the weeds was a rusty old fence that needs to be removed. Then we have to put up new fencing and put in a new coop. We've got a ways to go but its a start.
For the time being though, we have a brooding box and a run big enough for a few chickens so of course I picked up some chicks!
These came from a local farm. The owner said that he hatched eggs from a successful mating of his Araucanas. He had a ton of chickens, many different breeds of hens and roosters and while he was talking told me that they do sometimes cross breed so who knows! They do look like the pictures I've seen online though! These guys are supposed to lay blue or greenish eggs. Here's hoping!
I believe this is a rooster. We named him Crete and he techinically belongs to Ford. The other we named Thera, and she belongs to Kane. I helped name them and we chose locations we're studying in history. We learned that the Cretan civilization was destroyed when a volcano on an island 70 miles north, named Thera, erupted, causing a tidal wave and ash to destroy Crete. Here's hoping that the boys remember something we learned this year!
After we got Thera and Crete we went to our local feed store to buy food. We had been to a few different feed stores recently that were all sold out of chicks for the winter so we were surprised to find them there.
Even though I hadn't planned to buy anymore chickens when the kids were begging for them, I offered to let them buy one themselves. Evan and Seth were the only ones with enough money so they each picked out their own.
This is Evan's chick, Wisconsin, he's a Packer's fan, I just barely talked him out of naming her Green Bay. She's a Rhode Island Red, which might make her given name confusing.
And this is Peeps, Seth's chick. She's a Black Sex Link. It's not the prettiest bird but I've read that they are friendly and are consistent layers!
The beginning of our flock!
They're adjusting well. The boys are learning lots, like that chickens can sort of fly! So cool!
And at last our dogs have something to herd, much to the chicks chagrin. :)
I can't wait to start getting some eggs! Just a few months to go!
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