There are many signs of spring, Robins singing, trees blooming, slightly warmer temps, seeds starting…. the list goes on.  For the last two years a sign that spring is coming for out family is the sweet cheeping sound of baby chicks in our bathroom.  (Yes I said in the bathroom) It has become something that our family looks forward to even though we have only done it for a short time.  Six dark Brahma female chicks are living in a Rubbermaid tote in my bathroom  Even though we have a great coop outside it is best to wait until the sicks are older to introduce them to the rest of our flock.  Plus we love to be very hands on with the chicks.  We want them to be used to us, and what better way is there to get acquainted than to shower together!

The cool thing that we learned the last time around is by hand raising them we become the mother hen.  They come to us for comfort when there is danger.  Another plus with our last flock is we had no bullying for pecking order among the chickens.  I was the dominate female, not them.  We are hoping to be able to duplicate that with these new chicks.  I will let you know how it works. 

Backyard chickens are a great way to teach children about where their food comes from and provide healthy food for your family.  With our four birds we get 10 dozen eggs a month and it costs us about $6 in feed.  Great return for a little investment. 

If you are interested in starting your own flock now is the time of year to do it, chicks can be purchased at Tractor Supply, local feed and gardening centers, and on-line through websites like mypetchicken.com.  The chicks are only a couple bucks a piece and they truly are a joy to raise.  If you have any questions please let me know, I would love to be able to help any way I can.