The Chicks That Started It All

I don't have a farm.  (sigh)  But a girl can dream, right?  A few years ago, when my tech-savvy nine year-old asked for chicks for his birthday, I was more that happy to look into the possibility.  Are you kidding? No screen, no apps, no wires, and no updates.  Just a whole lot of love and some free eggs, too!  I visited feed stores and started researching backyard chickens.  

The more I learned, the more excited I became about the whole idea.  Raising chickens in our backyard seemed to be something we really were capable of as a family.  I found it was important to chose breeds with personalities that worked best with our situation and we decided that for the amount of space we had to offer, three would be our perfect number.

So Spencer got Lola (a Buff Orpington), Oreo (a Barred Rock) and Caramel (an Ameraucana) for his birthday.  It was love at first sight!  Truly!

If We Build It, They Will...Hatch?

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me to help him design a chicken coop.  What timing!  My youngest has just entered first grade and I was looking for a way to pass some much-appreciated alone time.  Thinking about the project has made me quite nostalgic.  We have raised guinea pigs, fish, a dog, hermit crabs, frogs, a rabbit and chickens.  We've loved (almost) every minute of it!  Watching my kids develop a love for animals and find joy in

pet ownership has been real parenting plus for me.  Kids, animals and a way to create.  It's always exciting to find new ways to bring the things I love together.  Now, to get the creative juices flowing...