Neighbors, Meet Chicks

Turns out Malai is the danger to the chicks. Quadrapus, though feline, doesn't seem to fall into the hunter instinct when the chicks are roaming free across the living room sofa. Malai, on the other hand, tries to snatch them up in her teeth when they come near her. I have had to push her away and scold her more than once.

Wrex and Bubo chill in the yard.

A few of the neighbors have met the little quartet, and they all reacted with big smiles and instant curiosity. Why did I decide to get chicks? Are they easy to care for?

Bubo standing on the shoulders (or head) of giants.

The why:

1.) I had chickens while growing up, and I loved watching their antics so much that I decided I would raise chickens when I had my own house and backyard.

2.) Chickens are a worthwhile investment if you care about where your food comes from and about the care of the animals. I am a vegetarian who dabbles in vegan recipes because I care about the suffering of animals, as well as the "purity" of my foods - I don't like chemical additives or cleaners. I also know that "free-range" could mean overcrowding chickens in a windowless barn, which isn't much better than tiny cages with no ventilation. By having my own chickens and providing them with organic feed, I will have plenty of fresh, organic eggs.

3.) In a nation of increasing "food deserts", backyard gardening and farming can provide new sources of healthy, local foods. I like getting on this bandwagon by raising my chickens and growing my own vegetables. I plan to donate a portion of my garden to my local soup kitchen, and some of our eggs.

And yes, chickens are easy to maintain. They don't require a large amount of space (though I like to let them range around the yard as often as possible), and feed is relatively cheap. I will check on them twice a day to be sure they have clean water and food, just as I do for Malai, Quadrapus, and the fish-kids. I purchased cold-hardy breeds so that I don't have to worry about them come wintertime.

Overall, the benefits of keeping chickens outweigh the costs. Chickens FTW.

Camilla looks gigantic here.

So, the neighbors are on board, and that's fantastic! In these pics, the chicks are just over two weeks old. They're a month old now, so they're bigger, with quite a few more feathers. Also, we got four new ones!!! They're two weeks in age difference. Pictures to come!

Wrex, Bandit, Bubo, and Camilla