Christmas Came Early

Christmas came early this year... in the form of four fuzzy chicks! I suppose with our new addition of actual livestock we can truthfully call Pocket Square Farm a FARM.

Preface: I have been a self-proclaimed fan of chickens for 22 years. My passion for our two-legged feathered friends began precisely the moment that my younger brother was enrolled in Yankee Doodle Farm Preschool. This wasn't just any preschool, mind you--it was a FARM preschool--complete with your standard farm accessories and animals. Geese, goats, chickens, bunnies, and even a horse lived in harmony with hundreds of four-year olds. Snack [homemade fruit cobbler] was served at wooden picnic tables beneath a shaded patio next to an historical Southern California farmhouse by (who else?) a 60-year old grandmother named "Mee Ma." Seriously, you can't get much more "down on the farm" than that.

Anyhow, Yankee Doodle made quite an impression upon my young, formative mind, and I always thought it would be "fun" to someday have a chicken or two. But then life got busy: I started teaching, got married, got my credential, had a kid, got my masters, had another kid... and I kind of forgot about the chickens. But as my new obsession with local, organic food and gardening emerged my interest in chicks rolled back around.

They could aerate my soil and devour my garden pests!
We could compost their droppings!
We could have fresh, organic eggs!
We could increase our sustainability and enjoy chickens as pets!

So, my husband and I stated about a year ago that we would someday get chickens. Someday, in our household, usually means later rather than sooner, however. Finally we agreed that we would like to have laying hens by this spring or summer, which meant that we needed to get chicks, well, now! When things at work calmed down I called a local feed store, The Blacksmith's Corner, and a friendly and knowledgable employee confirmed what I had already researched about raising baby chicks. She told me that they currently had nine pullets (young hens) for sale at $4.99 each. (Yes, that's the same price as one dozen organic eggs.) I told her I was putting the family in the truck and we would be right there.

We stopped at a moving/packaging store on the way, where we purchased two large cardboard boxes for the chicken condo (chicks can't live outside until they're about four months old). When we arrived at the feed store I was suprised to find such a large and well-stocked operation. Besides chicks, they carry quail, ducks, geese, and supplies for almost any pet/farm animal imaginable. Bonafide "cowboys" strutted their stuff this way and that in plaid collared shirts, cowboy hats, denim, and vintage boots complete with high[er] heels and pointed toes. I expected one of them to pull out a lasso or something as they mosied on up to the counter to be helped. "I don't think we're in LA anymore, Toto!" I thought. How was it that 30 something years passed me by and I didn't know this shop existed... practically right under my nose? It is an animal-lover's dream come true... my own personal Heaven... well, second to Starbucks.

We headed to the chick section of the store and decided to get a combination of birds: two Buff Orpingtons, one Araucana, and one Barred Plymouth Rock chicken.

The Orpingtons are excellent layers of large brown eggs, even throughout winter. They are large birds with red combs and caramel-colored feathers.

The Araucana is a "rumpless" variety that lays blue and green eggs less often, also sometimes called an "Easter Egger." It is a tall, lean, multi-colored hen.

The Barred Rock chicken is supposedly an ideal species for urban areas and families with children, as they are usually very quiet and docile. Photos of adult hens are beautiful as they are jet black with stunning white flecks and crimson combs. We shall see!

Today was a busy day. We built our cardboard chick condo (2 bedrooms of course), fed and watered our little ones, named them, and held them intermittently. It has already been fun to watch their antics, and they seem to be settling in well.

And as for our children? Well, they are thrilled with their new pets.

"Having baby chicks is even better than I ever imagined!" exclaimed Mason.

To which Camille replied, "That was fun but when do we get our cow? Cows are sooooo cute!"

If only Yankee Doodle Farm Preschool wasn't so far out of my way... I would head over there right now and sign her up!