This blog is designed for anyone interested in raising chickens for the first time, but wants to watch someone else do it first! I'm going to start raising chickens this spring and I'm so excited! I've been wanting to do this for years but could never convince my husband that it was a good idea. He's still not convinced...but I think I wore him down. :) I'm really a farm girl at heart so this is a great opportunity to explore that part of me.

I spent all winter researching the process of raising chickens. Two of my favorite sites are:

backyardchickens.com and mypetchicken.com

On these sites I was able to learn all the particulars of this hobby, and even research the kinds of chickens that fit my needs. I wanted chickens who would be friendly, hardy in Michigan's climate and lay lots of eggs. So I chose Australorps and Barred Rocks. And last week I ordered 5 chicks of each breed. They will arrive early in April...after I return from my cruise (aren't you jealous!). So, here's what I need to do before the babies arrive at a local farm supply store.

1. I need to create a temporary chick home called a brooder. The chicks need a place that stays clean and warm and safe from predators. They don't get to go outside until they are about eight weeks old when the adult feathers are more pronounced. This brooder can be as simple as a cardboard box with a heat lamp, or something more hi-tech that you purchase. I'll be using a wire rabbit cage, inside a cardboard box. This will protect the fluffy babies from my cat (!) and the cardbaord will help me regulate the temp. It needs to be 95 degrees F the first week then 5 degrees cooler each week after. The chicks will tell you if they are too hot or cold because, so the websites say, they will huddle together under the heat lamp if the temp is too cold, or they will stay far apart at the edges of the brooder of they're hot. I will have a good thermometer in the brooder as well. I'll need pine shavings, chick food, a chick feeder dish, and a water supply. All these can be ordered from mypetchicken.com or from the local feed store.

2. I'll need to build a chicken coop for when the babies are old enough to be outside. We have an existing outbuilding that has an indoor/outdoor dog run. We'll be converting that part into the coop. For coop designs look at the websites I already mentioned. Each coop needs three components: nesting boxes where they'll lay an egg each day, roosting poles(1" dowels at different heights across one wall), and an outside area for exercise.

3. Contact my neighbors and let them know they can buy eggs later this summer. I think the chickens will be ready to start laying in August.

4. Keep reading and learning so I do this right!

OK, that's all for today...I'll give you another update and maybe pictures when I get the chicks!