TerrieMiller.com

If you’ve been watching the links that get posted here, you’ll notice my interest in chickens. Two weeks ago, I brought five baby chicks (”pullets”, as they are supposed to be female) home; they’re quite entertaining:

I want to end up with three hens, but took the farm store clerk’s advice and got five; if any mistakenly turn out to be roosters or die, I won’t have the problem of trying to add a new bird to the flock. And the clerk will buy back any extras that I end up with; I’ve also already gotten offers of people who will take them. I got three Light Brahmas on his advice; they’re fair egg layers, but very tame, friendly birds, good for an in-town flock and good for visiting kids to hold and be around. And I got two Barred Plymouth Rocks, which should be good layers and fairly docile. When I was a kid, it was one of my chores to feed and water the chickens, and we had a Banty Plymouth Rock hen that I remember fondly. It will be tough to decide between them if all five reach adulthood as hens!

I don’t plan to eat these chickens, and I don’t plan to save money on eggs. I have every intention of giving these chickens a wonderful chicken life, and having high-quality food and entertainment in return.

My next chore will be to build or them a structure for the outdoors. I don’t know if it will be possible for them to free-range around the back yard…there might be too many dangers for them, or they might be a detriment to the big garden next door. So I’m wavering between a small movable pen and a larger non-movable coop and fenced area; my biggest problem will likely be raccoons.

I’m trying to pin down exactly when they can be moved from the brooder inside our house to our yard. Thankfully, we have the internet to turn to, and I find that someone has been through all of this before. If I’m building a coop today, I’d better rip some Jefferson Starship to the iPod…