Chickens

How do two seemingly sane 24 year olds end up with chickens? It all started when we first laid eyes on the house we are now renting...

     After living in the city for a while, Jimmy and I were itchin to get back out in the country. You know, an area with grass and trees and where you could actually see the stars at night. I had started my new job and Jimmy was still interviewing places and searching for a place for us to rent. We found a couple of places in the country, but most of them were either trailers (nothing wrong with them, just not what we wanted) or barely liveable houses. After three weeks of searching, I was beginning to get desperate and suggested getting an apartment just for the time being.

     As fate would have it, Jimmy tried a phone number he had already called once (and gotten no answer) and the guy answered. He had a house in the country, he said, and it was an old farmhouse with a garden area and two sheds. It sounded too good to be true. So we went and saw the place, and it was definitely out in the country. You have to drive up a huge hill to get to the road, and neighbors are a good distance away. The house was old, and needed a good cleaning, but it was a cute little place with a good sized garage.

     I, of course, couldn't stop thinking about what kind of animals I could have. "We could have chickens!" I said excitedly. Jimmy just smiled and nodded, like he usually does when I suggest another animal.

     Fast forward a couple of months (we survived the landlords grilling: to Jimmy: "Why don't you have a job?" "How long have you two been together?") and we're living happily in the house... but I'm getting the want-a-new-pet itch.

     "What about a goat?" I suggest.

     "No."

     "What about a cute little pot belly big?" I tried again. 

     "No. Do you still want chickens?" Jimmy asked.

     I was speechless. He HAD been listening when I rambled on! "YES!" I said a little too excitedly.

     And so it came that I did a little research, found www.backyardchickens.com, and ordered our chickens. To read more about our experiences with chickens (hint: they're not horribly, smelly creatures!) see below.

Chickens Part 2          Chickens Part 3