Chickens!

We just ordered new chickens!  7 female light Brahmas.  Last year we had 6 lovely ladies, 3 Brahmas, and 3 Orpingtons.  They had an adorable little pink chicken tractor (pink because the paint was a cheap return at walmart) that we would move around the yard so they could peck and scratch and get rid of all the grubs in the backyard. 

Backyard chickens are awesome.  First off they give you free eggs.  The Brahma's were great layers, we always had plenty.  Secondly they are better than a garbage desposal for leftover scraps.  Have some potatoe peels? give them to the chickens! Have some apple cores? Chickens love them!  Have some leftover spaghetti?  Now you're just spoiling them.  And the more good things the chickens got the better the eggs were.  Our chickens were happy and healthy and adorable to watch. 

Than one day Hans happened.  In my early pregnancy stupidity I left the back door cracked.  Hans (our male GSD) is a very smart boy who checks these things.  He spent that evening methodically killing our animals one after the other.  6 baby ducks, 6 young rabbits, 6 chickens(at the time we also had 2 cornish), and 1 turkey.  We were left with just 2 of our beautiful chickens left, both Brahmas.  They weren't the same.  They were afraid of us and scared every time they saw the dogs.  We decided to move them to our friend's home with his chickens so they could feel safer and because we were hoping to move. We also found Hans a wonderful new home with a family who didn't want any other animals.

As it goes with everyone, stuff happened.  Our Jetta just about kicked the bucket and we needed a new vehicle.   We found one at a great price for only 2 years worth of payments but it made us decide to wait on moving until it is completely payed off.  Now we want chickens again.  We miss having them and with Jarrod trying to eat Paleo our trash is full of bits and scraps of fruits and veggies.  We really think that chickens could help us reduce our trash by at least a bag a week.  And greatly decrease the amount of vermin tearing it apart while we wait for the trash truck to do it's weekly pickup. 

We decided to get all Brahmas because they are a great breed.  They are cold hearty but do fine in the warm weather as well which is important where we live.  We can have lots of snow and cold weather in the winter and then weeks at a 100 degrees in the summer.  They are great egg producers.  They are also much smarter than the orpingtons, there is a reason 2 Brahmas survived Hans getting in while we lost all our Orpingtons. 

I can't wait to get our new girls and will be sure to post pictures when I do!