Teenagers and toddlers

The first three chicks that we got are still alive.  I know, I cant believe it either.

We dont really know anything about chickens except what research we have done online along the way. So far, the moment by moment learning curve is paying off.  Jeff is doing most of the research, and we are just doing whatever he says.  I go online and look at pretty coops and things like that, but nothing to brag about.

The kids are still pretty obsessed with them, and run out to see them as soon as they wake up and get home from school.

When we went to get the chickens, the lady at the feed store told us that we needed to come back and get some Americanas when they get them in stock a couple of weeks later.  She said they were so smart, and so pretty, and that they laid blue eggs.  I pretty much thought that ours wouldn't make it that long, so I figured we may need a new crop anyway.   She told us it was not easy to get them- that everrrrryyyonnne and their mama wanted Americanas, and that we would need to call the moment they opened to get on a list.  So, I put the day they came in into my phone and we worked our schedule around getting those new chicks.  Sure enough, when I called at 8am the next morning, the lady on the end of the line told me that she hoped I got one but that there was already a list going.  She said that she would call me if I was one of the lucky few that got to take some home.  All I could think was that these chicks better lay golden eggs. Thank the lucky stars we were on that list and a lady hid some in the back for us to come pick up that afternoon.  Bullet dodged.

Turns out our older chicks (Sunshine, Rosie and Oreo) are still alive and kicking, like the awkward teenagers they are.  And you aren't allowed to just put new baby chicks with them because they will terrorize them to death.  Literally, death.  (Luckily, I know nothing about chickens and hung on every word the sales lady told me at the feed store.) So, we have been raising these new chicks inside and letting the teenagers brave it in the coop outside.

Meet Goldie, Happy Tanner Alicia Keys (some kids have longer names than others) and Olive.
So far, so good.
We can merge the step families once the little chicks have feathers, which we are coming up on.  I am so nervous.  I hope that the older sisters cooperate, and that we end up with one big happy blended family.








Wish us luck on the new merger.  Hopefully there won't be too many ruffled feathers.