We had talked about getting some chickens for quite some time. We figured it would be a little toe dip into farming, which we've also daydreamed about a bit.

The ideal would be having a farm with blueberries (just because we love them), goats (for cheese) and chickens (for eggs) and maybe even grapes (for wine, of course).

But to start off the dream, we decided to get some chicks. When Tractor Supply advertised their "Chick Days," which featured a few different breeds at a good price, it seemed like a great time to just jump in. All the feed and other stuff you need also was on sale.

So we made a family trip to the store and came home with 20 chicks. We lost one on day 2 (poor little guy), but we've had 19 for the past week, and they all seem to be doing well.


My husband worked on a chicken farm years ago and his brother's family has chickens, so he at least has some background knowledge. But, for the most part, this is a learn-as-we-go situation. We're reading what we can and all participating as a family.

Our kids are a great age for helping with this, too (12 and 9). They want to make sure the chicks are fed and watered and generally cared for, so they are jumping in and helping without even being asked. (Wow!) They actaully want to do these chores!

We have to keep them inside for a few more weeks, but my husband is building the outdoor coop, so it will be ready for them. Honestly, as much as I'm enjoying them, I can't wait to get them outdoors. It turns out no matter how often you clean out their living area, the chicken coop smell doesn't really go away. No matter how much of a farm girl I think I am at heart, I don't want it to smell like a barnyard in my house.