Sunday, May 23, 2010

Children and Chickens




My Mom recently got it in her head that she absolutely must have chickens. She had them when she was growing up and has always talked about how fun it would be to have our own. But this spring, for some reason she decided she was tired of thinking about it and just did it - much to Dad's chagrin! I think she's up to 16 chickens now.
They bought them when they were just hatched and so we've gotten to play with little baby chicks and watch them grow. It has really been fun for the boys - especially Stratton. They are always asking to go to Grandma's house so they can see the chickens. And then they spend all their time in the back yard with them (oh how I want a yard!). Stratton is very good with them (except for when he sends the chicks down the little slide!) - he's not afraid of them at all and is pretty fast at catching them. Most of them are older now and are almost full size, but there are still three little new ones.
The chicks are the ones that Creighton likes; I think the bigger birds scare him. However, he's not nearly as gentle as Stratton is with them (carries them around with one hand, usually around their neck!). I'm surprised that all have survived!
And my Dad has been just putting up with it all. The whole situation has all been quite entertaining! And I'm way excited for the fresh eggs. In fact, I told Ric that if our yard is big enough, I plan on taking some of her chickens for us to keep. She really did get too many - she got carried away in buying them and has now decided that with 48+ eggs a week (hmm... but that was when she only had 13 chickens so I don't know what she's figuring now) she is going to sell the eggs.
Ric is not excited about the idea of us having them either, but I think this is one of those things where he just won't have a choice! Marriage is about compromise, right? Well he gets to go and play or watch sports and I get to have my plants. He brings home a toad for the boys to keep and I get to keep chickens!

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