The Chicken Chronicles DAY ONE

Welcome to the Chicken Chronicles. If you have been following me then you know we are taking on a new venture in our home....Urban Chickens or Backyard chickens. Crazy? ...Maybe
It all started when we became a one income family and began cutting cost. This eventually led me to realize how much more self sufficient we could be and how it could help our family learn and grow at the same time.
Read more about this in Self Suffiencent in the Suburbs and Urban chickens.

"Urban Chickens" or "Backyard Chickens" are becoming more popular. Most city and county have even adjusted ordinances according...did you know in St. Louis County you can have 4 chickens no permits required!

So why would anyone want chickens? Easy....free eggs! Others reasons include...the experience our children will gain, the responsibility they will be taught, and the perfect pets that don't require walking, cleaning up after, and litter boxes.

So join us as we document our newest venture... learn with us!

DAY ONE:

Day one went pretty good. Read more on the arrival here in Special Delivery.

Let's start from the beginning...

I ordered 3 baby chicks from mypetchicken.com They were set to arrive Febuaury 21-23rd. They were 2.50 per chick plus $10-15 shipping.

I had a "brooder" ready for them. Ours is a cardboard box lined with newspapers. Luckily we had a lamp that would work well for our heat source. I got it a while back at a garage sale for $1. It can handle 600watt, but our light is only 250. Suggested by mypetchicken.com we are using a 250 watt bulb - white heat light. I bought this at Fenton Feed for $4.50. I also purchase a feeder, waterer, and feed (at fenton feed) and spent a total of $14 (including the light bulb) not bad if I must say so myself especially because we built the chicken coop for free!

So they arrived in a peeping box...

Here they are crowded on their heat pad in the shipping box.

We put them in the "brooder" and they went straight to the water and food - which is good because I have heard of some people having to dip their beaks in water.

Not going to lie...I was a little squeamish about picking them up right away. I didn't have a lot of pets growing up and the hamster I had bit...a lot. After seeing Kohen pick them up with no problems or hesitations...and his is 5 I figured I'd be okay.

We spent most of the day and night just watching them...They are really cute and all have their own little personalities! Oh...the names are Chicky, Cat woman, and Raisin....I know....but I didn't pick the names!