Chickens and Seeds

chicken coop in progress

I finally get my chance to start being a farmer/homesteader.  That's right people, chicks have been ordered, seeds bought, plans started and the hubbs is building a chicken coop.  That being said, I am both nervous and excited, up to this point the only animals I have been responsible for have been dogs, cats, fish and 2 lizards, the lizards however didn't live very long. I will admit that I did not do enough research into the care of lizards before jumping into buying them.  So, when it was decided that we would start our farm with chickens, I took to research like a moth to flame.  (Research, is highly recommended by this gal, who is still upset about the poor lizards).  How do you research chickens you ask?  Well, I started with the Internet, you tube videos, and bought a few books, called hatcheries and  asked people who have chickens some crazy questions.  "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens" by Gail Damerow, was recommended by the women I talked with at Murray McMurray Hatchery in Iowa. This book has become chicken bible, it is packed with loads of information on different breeds of chickens and how to properly care for them.  Armed with this knowledge and help from my hubbs and son.  We (hopefully) will be prepared for our chicks who arrive, May 2nd, 6 weeks away.  Also, up for the next couple of weeks, is to set up the brooder box in the laundry room.  Chicks need to have enough space so, they can get warm and have space to cool down and have access to food and water and room to run around.  Pictures and an update on that later this week.

 It is, also, time to research gardens and how to grow things, cause let me just tell you that I have a very black thumb.  Anytime I have tried to grow flowers, plants or pumpkins they have all just withered.  I really feel that gardening is really going to be a big challenge for me, albeit one that I am looking forward too.  I was told by several people to start with peas, because they like cooler weather and grow easily, is this true???? Does anyone out there know anything about growing veggies and fruit, that can help a gal out?  Right now I have a tray of peat pellets waiting for me to put something in them, and research to do, to find the right place for me to put my garden.

Yes, there is still work to be done to the house, the land and the outbuildings to make this the place of our dreams.  But, you have to start somewhere. This is our start.

Our farm census so far:

1 woman, me Helois

1 man, that's the hubbs (he prefers his name is not online)

1 10 year old boy, (my son who is growing so very fast)

1 cat,  Romeo (who thinks it's his job to sleep 19 hours a day and rub cat hair all over everything)

1 Dog, Napoleon (that's Bonaparte not dynamite) Napoleon a black lab and Burmese mountain dog mix

and in 6 weeks there will be 25 chicks added to that.