Pet Chickens!

My sister and her husband decided back in January to buy their very own chickens so they could get fresh, organic eggs right from their backyard! They also just thought it'd be fun to raise some chickens. So, this weekend I had the privilege of meeting their five little chickens for the first time. It was hilarious! I have to admit, I'm kinda jealous.

It really is a great idea if you have a yard. You can do a little research on the Internet to see everything that goes into it, but they said it's been very simple. They bought 5 little chicks from the local feed and seed store (they were told it's a good idea to get extra because some might not make it....and they're only $2 each. But all 5 of theirs are alive and healthy!) Then, they put them in a big box and named them, of course. When the chicks got bigger, they built a little coop in the backyard for them made of wood and chicken wire.

The chickens are let out during the day (talk about free-range!) and as the sun goes down they all run back into the coop on their own and get ready to go to sleep. My brother-in-law says they're actually really easy to care for and they're fun to have around. And the dogs get along great with them!

They haven't laid any eggs yet, but it shouldn't be too long before they start. (I'll keep you posted!) A lot of people think that you have to have a rooster for the hens to lay the eggs, but according to my brother-in-law, that's not true. I'm no expert on raising chickens, but like I said, it might be a great idea to look into if you have a yard.

Here are some photos so you can see them as chicks as well as what they look like today...