Cute Chicken Contest

Just in case you haven't seen quite everything yet, the McMurray Hatchery is holding a cute chicken photo contest. Check out the McMurray Link to vote for your favorite chicken picture under the That's So Sweet heading.

http://www.thesurveyplatform.com/survey/MM0001/Instructions.html?a=email


One last thing - I was away on vacation for two weeks, which explains my lack of blogging. It's good to be back!

Where to Start? How to Start?

Suddenly deciding to raise chickens can seem a bit scary, but we planned to raise only six or so hens. How hard could that be? Luckily, I have an excellent resource in my friend Catherine.

If I'm crazy, then Catherine is bona fide cuckoo (sorry Catherine!). At last count, Catherine has three cats, four goats, two dogs (one with only three legs), countless chickens and ducks, and a goose named Oscar who sits on her front stoop and honks at people. And all of this in her backyard...

Catherine answered countless questions and steered me toward her hatchery of choice, Murray McMurray (are Murray's parents mean or what?). She also lent me her most recent copy of Backyard Poultry Magazine (who knew?). This combined with some books from the library, and I'm starting to feel like I can actually do this.

Now I just needed to order the chicks, figure out a brooder, and find a coop somewhere. Fun stuff!

This was really happening. The kids were so excited. It was early March 2010, but it already felt like spring!