Chicky Babies!

It's been a dream of our little family to become more independent and become connected with where our food comes from. So, you know what that means? CHICKS! I read Storey's Guide To Raising Chickens to do my research. This is a GREAT book if you like sitting down and pouring over something, the Internet of course, is a wealth of knowledge in chicken raising. For me, personally I am more of a hot cup of tea in one hand, book in the other.
The process of getting them was one of me running a 102 degree fever and driving down to town and getting 15 beautiful black Australorps. Try navigating this while sick. Thank goodness the feed store worker was so helpful or they would have never made it home.
Now, that they are here the process of learning to bring up our babies has brought a lot of excitement and merriment to our home.

They've moved from their first home to a swimming pool (Who knew they'd make good brooders? They do though!) They still are using their heat lamp and will need it for a few more weeks (Until they fully feather) It's kept on one side of the coop so the ladies can warm up if they need to or can head over to the cool side for food and water fun.

I put in toilet paper tubes and wooden blocks to keep them from getting bored. We want content little chicks not, ones that peck each other. This is not a Stephen King novel.

The kids have been so very into this whole project. It is important to handle the birds so they will be adjusted to humans. Well, my kiddos have single "handedly" (Pun intended) taken it on themselves.
My daughter is creating a book that details the growth of the chicks and has information about them. This has been an amazing learning process for all of us.

I love that this is an opportunity for me to show my children how to grow in knowledge I had no idea about how to raise chicks but, I bought books, studied and watched youtube tutorials to gain knowledge. This shows them that you never stop learning and adults have to expand their worlds as well.  They have done this right alongside me and we are growing in our quest for knowledge together.
So check back to see our chickens leave our nest for their coop and eventually bring us their BEAUTIFUL  eggs!

Black Australorp