Tuesday, September 8, 2009

First Day of School: Chickens

While most bloggers are chatting it up about the first day of school, I've decided to focus on chickens.

Chickens are the IT thing these days. Nothing says sustainable, green, organic, and living seasonally than a bunch of chickens flip-flapping in your back yard.

I like to think I am joining the rage not because of peer pressure, but because I have a strange love for chickens.

We had chickens when we were little. I want my boys to experience the same. You hardly make money or save money with your own crew of laying birds. A dozen eggs from the grocery is much cheaper. (We eat an average of 5 eggs a day.) However, I do think they taste better.

Oh, and our chickens will be "pasture" feed. They will have a large yard to cluck and scratch in and get all the worms and bugs they need.

Oh how yummy and fun they will be. Plus, good fertilizer for the garden.

We are hoping to get our chickens in late October. Grandpa is remodeling the old chicken house: new ventilation system, better laying boxes, windows for more light, and new ramp for their little legs to race down into the free range yard below.

I'm feeling very Oregonian! Hope the boys are on board.




13 comments:

Jen Rouse said...

Woohoo! I think that's great. Where are you going to get your chickens?

Alison said...

I have really been hankering to have chickens. I don't know why. I don't know if it would even work where I live-it's stinkin' hot. :) But hope your endeavor goes well! I have fond memories of chickens as a child too. :)

Rebekah said...

I think chickens do well just about anywhere. There are so many breeds for all types of climates. We are ordering ours through a company on-line. They come in the mail! That will be an exciting day!

Jane Seale Gramenz said...

I must say live chickens in the mail beats out my butterfly larvae we got last year. Don't tell Eli chickens come in the mail....

Rebekah said...

Oh, but I do want to tell him. That is exactly what your new place needs....a little boy and his baby chicken!

Diana said...

OK, I'm a wee bit envious. I don't know why chickens seem so idyllic to me when I know they're a lot of work-- guess I'd better come see you when I need a chicken fix!

Rebekah said...

Yes, visit us soon! Of course, the chickens get here in late October.

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

We're getting chickens too in the spring. Chickens seem to have become quite the chic thing

David and Carrie said...

I really really want chickens. I should look into them in AZ....though I think there are some bans on them in city limits. I know you can't have a rooster...but maybe we could just to laying hens. Hmmmmmm....

Or maybe we should just move back to OR.

Laura said...

I didn't know chickens were all the rage. I'd better jump on board. =)

Janna said...

I'm so excited about your new chicken hobby! I just bought a dozen eggs from a lady at school. If you get lots of eggs, you can get rich off them! Ha, ha!

Rebekah said...

So, it was pointed out that rage/trendy sounds like a negative thing. I maybe should have said a new trend or change, way of thinking about our food....I actually think it is great that people are getting closer to their food...through gardens, co-ops, raising their own beef, raising chickens etc. AND, I totally know and believe that chickens from your own pasture/coop have eggs that taste tons better than the ones in the store. They look better too....the yokes are beautiful and a rich yellow.

Kim said...

hee hee! You know, when I first read this post, I thought you were kinda saying that chickens were a fad thing and you were not a part of that, but really a chicken raising person. I think I am just in a place right now where I feel passionate about food for some reason. I wouldn't want people to think raising chickens is a "fad" and something kind of lame to start up for themselves, ya know? I like the word "movement"!!! :)