the little chicks

Almost two months ago, our niece Madi called to see if she could get a chick. She was on her way to a farm supply store and was deciding on a whim that she should get a chick. But she needed to be sure it had a home after it outgrew her apartment. Rory was thrilled to say yes, as he thinks animals are the most fun we've had in a long time, and is ready to support any animal adventurers. 

She called an hour later and nervously explained that there was a six chick minimum. She wondered if we'd take six chicks. And because we've got the room, we thought six sounded more fun than one and told her to go for it. One chick had been acting lethargic from the start and died the next day, but the other five chicks have thrived. Madi loved them like her own little babies, gave them baths and blow dried their feathers. And she gave them their own instagram account. Be sure to scroll to the beginning so you can see how teeny, tiny these chicks began.

They are adorable and we are pleased to have more chickens on our farm. Two weeks ago we got a text from Madi asking if we were ready for her chicks. She and her husband Chace brought them on a Saturday and it was a sad farewell. She really, really, really loved Pam, Taylor, Mountain Wind, Lindsay and Teensy. She even had a funeral for the sixth chick that had lovingly been kept in a ziplock in her freezer until she could give it a proper burial in our field. 

It was a sad goodbye, and though I couldn't promise to give them a blow dry each day, I did promise we would take good care of them. And Rory promised too. And maybe that is why he built them their own adorable little coop. We knew they couldn't go in with the big birds, but these ladies needed to get out the barn. They stink! Chickens are so smelly! The goats and lambs hardly have a scent. But five little chicks can fill the barn with chicken smell, and we were ready to get them out doors. 

So using nothing but scraps around his shop Rory built them their own adorable home sweet home. And they seem quite happy about their new digs. They spent most of the afternoon exploring the great outdoors which is quite the change from the walk-in closet they came from. But I promised Madi that the life we would give these chicks would be the very best life a chicken could ever hope for. Minus the blow dry.