The expanding Shedd "Farm"

The week before Easter, Dan and I went to TSC to get some supplies for the house.  Well, I sat in the car while he went in to get the supplies, because I was ashamed to be seen in public with the paint-laden clothes I was wearing. 

After what seemed like a unusually long period of time, Dan came out with the things, and said "They have little chickens for sale!!! Can I get some!?"

 

We've talked about getting some chickens, but I was thinking we would get them as layer hens, not as chicks.  But Dan looked so excited at the prospect of having some new pets that I couldn't say no. 

 

Because the chicks were already growing feathers and losing their down, this particular batch of them was on sale for $1/each.  I told Dan that he may as well get 20 of them, because in my experience, usually a few die. 

 

None have so far though!

 

We got them home and Dan made little houses for them with big cardboard boxes and a quaker oats can to connect the boxes. 

 

 

 

This is the first time Dan has raised chicks, so he was very excited.  He named all twenty of them and initialed their feet to remember each one.  I just laughed and told him that the marker would wear off in no time. 

 

This is a picture of Dan holding his favorite chicken, Susie. 

 

I think it was the next day that Dan started building a chicken coop outside behind the shed.  He drew up plans for it, bought materials and started building it right away.   

 

These are a few pictures I took just yesterday of the chickens.  They are growing like weeds!

 

And Dan has nearly finished the outside coop. 

 

He even installed motion-sensor lighting.  The door on the far left is going to be the access door to their nesting area.  It will be connected to a rope so that we can close it at night to keep the chickens in. 

The window in the middle will have a screen in the summer time, for ventilation and a breeze to blow in at night. 

 

This will be the door, when it is finished. 

 

Dan just started putting up the chicken wire two days ago.  It will definitely be completed  by next week. 

 

And I just have to show you the laying boxes.  When I gather eggs, I'll be able to just open up this panel on the outside!

 

 

This big panel on the back part of the coop will be so that we can more easily clean out the nesting area.  Hopefully you can view these videos okay. 

 

 

 

Now that we have chickens, we are hoping to try a goat next.  I'm longing to go to a livestock auction in the area and find a little goat.  We visited a lady a few weeks ago on a church visit and she was showing us her goats and Dan started really wanting a little goat.  So who knows what will be next here on the Shedd "farm"!?