You Cannot Make This Stuff Up.

In case you missed it, we are the proud owners of backyard chickens.  Last night Marty and I went out on a hot date to "back to school night" for the parents.  We came home to a devastated 8 year old because one of the chickens was missing.  We had reason to believe that it had gotten over the fence near the coop, so Marty was out in the neighbors backyard with a flashlight looking for the chicken (whose name happens to be Journey).  No luck.

We kept our eyes out this morning on the drive to school.... just in case we might actually see a chicken cross the road.  No luck.

After Gavin & Elijah were off at school and the rain had died down, I set off on the adventure of finding the chicken.  Hoping and praying that she survived the night outside the coop.  While scouring the next door neighbors yard, I saw her!  In the yard of the neighbors behind us..... which is precisely where I did not want her to be. We don't have a terrible relationship with these neighbors, we just don't know them and there have just been a few comments made over the years about our annoying Cottonwood trees.

With much hesitation, I wandered over the neighbors house. The plan was simple.  Catch the chicken, throw it over the (6 foot privacy) fence, go home and resume the day.

The elderly woman who answered the door was sweet as can be.  I have seen her and her husband over the fence many times, but never actually met them.... only some of their adult children.  She was more than happy to let me in the backyard to catch the chicken.

Problem.  I could not catch this chicken.  Oh my goodness.  And in the meantime Owen is throwing apples from her apple tree at the chicken.... which was not helping the situation.  I apologized profusely and said I would need to come back in a couple hours with my 8 year old.  He is really the one who is good at catching chickens.

We walk back through the house to go out front (as Owen is trying to take his shoes off, see if she has any toys, and asking what snacks she has).... the neighbor (that I just met) told me that her husband just died on Monday; less than 48 hours ago.  So she should be home for the rest of the day, but she really doesn't know....and family is coming into town.... and my chicken is in her backyard.  :(  So sad and so awkward.  And I have no choice but to come back so I can get my chicken out of her backyard.

Fast forward two hours and I return with a sympathy card, a hug, an 8 year old, a box, and a worm for bait.  (All the smaller children I dropped off with a friend this time).  As we walk into the backyard Elijah informs me.... "Mom, I haven't caught Journey since July!  She's really hard to catch."  Great.  This chicken is impossible to catch.  We are chasing this chicken all over and working up a sweat. We also have assistance from one of the neighbor's middle aged daughters.  (Who is here to grieve the recent loss of her father, not try to catch a chicken.)  Eventually we come up with the idea that we will grab some chicken feed and try to bait her into a box with that because she has to be getting hungry.

I decide that we will send Elijah over the (6 foot privacy) fence to grab some chicken feed.  This is a fence he has scaled many times to play with another backyard neighbor.  Well, this morning had been rainy so the fence was wet.  And as he was walking along it, holding onto the other neighbors backyard fort, he slipped and landed on his bottom.  One leg on each side of the fence.  Oh. My. Goodness.  So much pain.  This time I had to leave in a hurry with my crying, hurt child.  Leaving the chicken in the backyard.  For a second time that day.

Third attempt.  This time we arrive with me, Gavin, Elijah, Josh (the dad of a little boy I babysit), and a fishing net duct taped to a broomstick to catch the chicken.  (That was Plan A).  Plan B: Marty would scale the fence after dark (so we wouldn't have to disturb the grieving family a 4th time), find the roosting (aka sleeping) chicken in the dark & return it home.  Marty wanted nothing to do with disturbing a grieving family to chase a chicken around their backyard and they don't have easy access to the backyard other than through the house.

With the help of all those people, plus two grieving adult daughters, in less than 10 minutes the chicken was caught in the fishing net, placed in a box and safely loaded in the back of the minivan.

You can't make this stuff up, right?

Chickens.

I write blog posts in my head all the time.   Sadly, my head is unable to wrap itself around the idea that no can actually read those posts.  I'm sure they are quite entertaining and fun, but by the end of the day I just don't get around to writing them down.  Thus the many month break......

This week we have ventured into "Urban Agriculture".

Step 1:
Elijah interviewed (we'll use that term loosely) three families to learn about their experiences raising chickens (since these are going to be his chickens).  After many reassurances that chickens are not smart animals and that they are really easy to care for..... we decided we would go for it.

Step 2:
Some neighbors gave us their old chicken coop since they aren't planning to have chickens again.  The coop hadn't been used in a while, so it needed a bit of fixing up.  The entire family was able to help out.

Step 3:  Get chickens!!!!  This was a bit overwhelming.  I had no idea there were so many varieties of chickens!  We found a bunch for sale on Craigslist and bought 6 chickens.  For anyone who knows chickens, we have an Amauricana, 2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Speckled Sussex, and a Silver Laced Wyandote.  The older birds should be laying eggs starting in August.

 It took only moments until the boys wanted to get in the chicken coop with the chickens.  And why not?!?!

 Owen was the first one who was brave enough to try and touch them.  And as you can see, he was super excited about it.

Elijah then got really brave and actually picked one up!  This is his most favorite chicken who he named "Joy".  She will eventually lay pretty green/blue eggs.  

And then he gave "Joy" to Gavin to hold.  Which gave us this super sweet photo.

We've let the little chickens run free in the backyard a little bit.  The little guys all stick together.

So far our chicken raising adventure has been great.   Elijah loves his chickens and checks on them multiple times throughout the day.  Most of them allow him to pick them up and micromanage their movements.

And then there is Owen.  I came outside yesterday afternoon to find this going on.  OWEN!  In case you can't tell what is going on here, Owen is shooting at the chickens with his water gun.   The chickens may not enjoy Owen so much......

We are looking forward to some backyard fresh eggs in the coming months!!!!  :)