We have chickens!
All praise be to Allah SWT, yesterday we went to an animal farm in the City of Kennedale, the Red Barn Feed Store, to get some chickens. This farm raises and sells live goats, ducks, guineas (from Africa), rabbits, parakeets, parrots, roosters and hens.
We decided to get three beautiful brown feather hens that are one to one-and-half years old.
Husband has built a chicken house over the weekend, so the three ladies immediately settled down in their home.
Although husband built three nesting boxes for them, all three roosted in one nest box during the night. We think that they are trying to stay close for warmth since night temperature now is in the 50s degree F.
We are surprised to see them eating grass and scooping around for bugs instead of just eating from the feeder. I guess their nature instinct tell them that its best to have a natural diet as much as possible. We will gradually reduce the feed amount and give them rice, soy beans and veggies later.
Daughter is really excited to 'talk' to the chickens everyday. Although the hens are really quiet and hardly crackle, just seeing them moving around gets her all excited. She wants to know what they are doing and how they sleep. I think I will have to keep daughter at a distance when I let the chickens run in the backyard for a short time to let them exercise their muscles over this weekend.
I am trying to resist giving them names because I don't want to get too emotionally attached to them. It will be harder for me when they go to chicken heaven. Although we want them primarily for their eggs, it is hard not to establish feelings for them since we see and 'talk' to them everyday. Allah SWT willing hope that we will do a good job of taking care of them.
Read more about raising chickens: My Pet Chickens
We decided to get three beautiful brown feather hens that are one to one-and-half years old.
Husband has built a chicken house over the weekend, so the three ladies immediately settled down in their home.
Although husband built three nesting boxes for them, all three roosted in one nest box during the night. We think that they are trying to stay close for warmth since night temperature now is in the 50s degree F.
We are surprised to see them eating grass and scooping around for bugs instead of just eating from the feeder. I guess their nature instinct tell them that its best to have a natural diet as much as possible. We will gradually reduce the feed amount and give them rice, soy beans and veggies later.
Daughter is really excited to 'talk' to the chickens everyday. Although the hens are really quiet and hardly crackle, just seeing them moving around gets her all excited. She wants to know what they are doing and how they sleep. I think I will have to keep daughter at a distance when I let the chickens run in the backyard for a short time to let them exercise their muscles over this weekend.
I am trying to resist giving them names because I don't want to get too emotionally attached to them. It will be harder for me when they go to chicken heaven. Although we want them primarily for their eggs, it is hard not to establish feelings for them since we see and 'talk' to them everyday. Allah SWT willing hope that we will do a good job of taking care of them.
Read more about raising chickens: My Pet Chickens
Labels: chicken farm
posted by Jiru at
1:00 PM
