The Feather Factory

A few years ago I started thinking about ways I could bring some farm life to my suburban setting and also have a tiny impact on my distaste for our system of factory farming and the inhumane treatment of our livestock. One way I saw I could combine my thoughts of this as well as a new hobby was to have a few backyard chickens. The summer of 2009 I decided to follow through my plans for some hens as "pets with perks"! To prevent overwhelming my neighbors and my ability, I ordered 5 day-old chicks from My Pet Chicken. I selected one each: Rhode Island Red (Amber), Black Australorp (Lilith), Silver Laced Wyandotte (Wynnie), Buff Orpington (Maisie), and an Easter Egger (Frisbee). The chicks were hatched on August 17 and my adventure began at the local post office two days later. I set them up in a crate in our garage and my husband and I started on the construction of what was to become their home. 

After studying books and the BYC forum (backyardchickens.com) for all the advice and tips and ideas I could cram into my brain, I drew out a sketch of my plans. After many trips to Home Depot and the bank and after spending all our summer weekend days sweating instead of kayaking, the hens all happily settled in their new home!! The girls seem quite happy and they have repaid us daily with fresh eggs for our table. 

The Before & Afters

 Amber

 Wynnie

 Frisbee

 Maisie

 Lilith

Their gifts to us! 

 Jesse guarding her flock.

Or is she deciding on her dinner menu?

~The early days~

 Their postal shipping box home for a day.

This is Frisbee. She died, probably from the heat, during the summer of 2010. 

She was a little sweetie!