For several year , my wife , Jennifer — dearly get laid around here as The Rancherette — wanted two or three littleSilkie chickens . “ They aresooocute , ” she say . “ They aresooofluffy . They look like babe rabbit . They would be great pets . ”
You must understand : We already had 11 dog on our attribute . They each have their own kennel place and receive the greatest of care . Most are retired Standard Poodle show dogs with a span of saving dogs and , lest I blank out , an Airedale Terrier . I , the RancherWriterPoet , was not sure that chickens would be a honorable fit . So , quite obviously , my comment was always : “ We do n’t involve any chicken . We have no place to keep them . ”
“ But we couldbuild a hencoop , ” she would say . Pete Robertson
I ignored the conversation , hoping it would go aside . I figured it was only a furor and would evanesce into obscureness . That was my mistake . I was unprepared for what The Rancherette did next .
I did n’t realize you could order chickens online . hatchery get off them to you , and they come at the post government agency in a slight box seat with holes in the side : U.S. Priority Mail , two - twenty-four hour period delivery . The postmaster prognosticate one daybreak at about 7 a.m. to recount us the birds had make it and asked if we could come pick them up because they were cheeping and wanting to get home . I thought perhaps they could have given them trajectory design and flown on their own , but they do n’t live how to read or fly . So in the dead of winter , 28 chicks arrived from a hatchery , and the Rancherette clean them up and fetch them home .
Prior to their arrival , The Rancherette had made a quick visit to the local farm - provision store to purchase a farm animal water bathtub that could be used as abrooder . Being a novice at this , I helped in the best path I could . She blame up the feeders , waterers and Natalie Wood chips for this endeavor . Of course , heating system lamps and provender were necessary , as well . And so The Rancherette had her “ two or three ” Silkie chicken — or 28 , as the case wrench out — and we were in the Gallus gallus byplay .
Pete Robertson
Well , the sister chicks outgrew the incubator and needed a coop , so I began searching the internet for volaille - coop plans and began construction . As time went on , more birds began arriving . This called for a 2d henhouse , then another and still another . At this pointedness , there are four coop , each being depict as the “ last ” coop . But I ’m not holding my breath . I am looking forwards to building the “ last ” coop again ! We still have at least another 3/4 acre : That ’s mint of room !
Our skirt are much more sophisticated now than the first mathematical group several years ago . With multipleshowsunder our bang and legion awards to match , we have expanded from a few Silkie chickens as pets into a show - bird hobby . We are also propel into a line of Cochin bantam boo with a pair appropriately name Cowboy and Cowgirl . After all , we do subsist in Texas .
We are also spawn our own birds now , and with each succeeding line , better - character birds are being produce . We still have our favorite little pets : Miss Peggy , so appoint because she can only apply one leg , and Smokey Bear , who has mostly recovered from wryneck . They know their public figure and usually come when call . These two hens reside in our “ assisted - living installation ” next door to Mick Jagger , the rooster of the walk , and his hen , Fatty Girl and Bella .
Here on the Fuzzy Chicken Farm , we are excited about the hereafter for both breeds . This is an inebriate hobby and sure as shooting keeps us on our toes . If you get the urge or opportunity to raise “ two or three ” Silkie chickens for pets , the internet has plenty of cage plans . You may also want to open up an bill at the local farm - provision store .
This article to begin with appeared in the November / December issue ofChickens .
Pete Robertson
