They were very, very thirsty when they got here also. They drank and drank!
First thing we had to do was add some chicken wire around the outside of the pen because they immediately started looking for a way out.
The boys were not sure what to think of chickens. And they sure didn't understand the process of how you get eggs. Didn't think I should explain it to them either or they would never eat another one!
One of the chickens went inside and jumped up on the nesting box and popped out an egg while we were fixing the fence.
The expression on Koda's face was priceless. We brought the egg out and laid it on the cage and you can see he is studying it pretty closely.
All afternoon the boys kept wanting us to go down to the chicken house and see if there were anymore eggs.
They had previously been in a pen with no grass and when Poppy let them out they probably thought they had died and went to heaven. They scratched and scratched.
Poppy put cattle panels over the top of the pen to keep out the critters that would be up to no good and try to steal my chickens. He'll also have to run chicken wire over this too. He has figured out that he will need to make a portable pen because it won't take these chickens long to have it down to bare earth.
My Grandmother would be so proud to know I have finally got some chickens here on the 80 acre homestead. We have lived here for 10 years and haven't had any animals in all that time except the dogs that Tim keeps draggin in.
Mark had to crawl through the chicken hole to see what it felt like to be a chicken I guess.
Hm, think of the possibilities. 
But, I get ahead of myself. Poppy and the boys had to do some quick finish up work on the little chicken house before the chickens could be put in.
First he had to hang the fancy feeder from the ceiling. That way it would always stay dry. And suspended like that keeps it off the floor also.
And he built a place for the chickens to roost. And then we wondered if they would be able to get up to the roosts so he built a little ladder. Can you tell it has been a while since we had a real farm
Now that's a spiffy looking ladder if you ask me. What chicken wouldn't like that?
Notice the fancy nesting boxes behind the feeder. Nothing but the best for my chickens!
And lastly, we had to add straw to the floor of the chicken house. We had lots of help!
Now, if you add the cost of the chickens and the cost of the feed etc. it looks like it will take a while for these chickens to be cost effective. But I just love listening to them clucking away while the sun shines down on my back. Reminds me of a long, long time ago... And I love the idea of strolling down to the chicken house to check for eggs. And what better way to survive hard times that are probably coming than by having your own chickens?
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