Chickens

A few days after we arrived in Montana we got 50 baby chicks. They were very cute (adult chicken as not cute, but the babies are). The boys we obsessed with them. They would just sit over the box that the chicks were in and watch them and talk to them. Occasionally Stephen did something naughty, like give the chickens a "shower" when he dumped a cup of water on them, but miraculously they survived Stephen. Rob built a coop in the yard and then fenced in quite a large area around it so they would have access to the outside.

They have become very good with catching stray chickens. I've been quite impressed. The twins have the responsibility of changing their water each day. This has been so good with for them learning responsibility.

The plan is to eat most of the roosters and then to keep about 12 hens for eggs. We'll also keep a couple roosters so that we can get baby chicks and not have to buy any more chickens. When we explained this to the boys Stephen was not happy about the idea of eating his "friends." Then as dinner time we explained that what we were eating was chicken, but Stephen kept saying, "This not chicken!" He just cannot believe that meat comes from living creatures. Anyway, I think they will learn some real lessons about birth and death.

Next summer we might get a pig too. But, we'll see. That's a lot of ham, pork chops, and bacon!

Luke catching a chicken that escaped

The babies in their new coop

Luke filling two of the watering things