Chickens!

So, it's been a while since I've posted because I've been traveling, moving, and getting settled. However, this is a pretty exciting post--my roommates and I are getting chickens! Laying hens, to be exact, and we're pretty excited about it.

For those of you who know me, you are probably not surprised that I want to have laying hens, but you might be wondering about the logistics of this proposition given my current pets--2 Border Collie/Cattle Dog mixes who love nothing more than chasing birds (ok, maybe chasing squirrels, but birds are a close second). Well, our lovely little laying hens are going to live in their own fully-enclosed "chicken tractor", which will have a roost, laying boxes, and a run. The exact design is yet to be determined, but I do know that it's going to be on wheels so that we can move it around the yard every week or so. The tractor will keep the dogs out, as well as other predators, like hawks and foxes.

With the help of Craigslist we found a farmer just outside of Raleigh who has chicks for sale. He has a group that will be hatching tomorrow or Monday, so we'll be driving down there Monday or Tuesday to pick out our four little babies. He has several varieties, but we're planning on getting at least one Ameraucana (also known as an Easter Egger, since it lays blue/green eggs) and at least one Bantam (a small breed that lays eggs 1/3-1/2 the size of an average egg). Beyond that we're going to talk to the farmer and just see what he has.

So far our purchases for the new arrivals have been the following:

-Chick Feed (un-medicated), 5 pound bag, $6
-Chick Waterer, 1 quart size, $2.50
-18 Gallon Plastic Container (this will serve as our "brooder", home for the chicks for the first 6-8 weeks), $6

Things we had at home were:

-Lamp suitable for keeping the chicks warm (my Ikea drafting-table-style lamp, which has a shiny metal shade to amplify the heat from the bulb)
-Incandescent light bulb (gasp!)
-Food dish (ie, a small plate)
-A shelf high enough to keep the chicks away from the dogs
-Newspaper (bedding)

Once we get the chicks in place I'll post some photos. I'll also be sure to post photos of the chicken tractor as we build it.

And now we wait with bated breath for a phone call from the farmer with good news!