Some moms bake cookies with their kids...

and others slaughter chickens! Truer words have never been spoken, and these were, by a co-worker who thought it quite hysterical that we have embarked on this latest adventure.

Our first batch of baby "meat" chicks arrived last Thursday. One chick died during shipment, but with our free exotic chick, we are still at 25. The chicks spent the first couple of days in the brooder in Melanie's room. This was to protect them from all the cats that have been in the house recovering from their recent surgeries (yeah! We finally got some spayed!).

It was sad for me as I was in the hospital when the chicks came and I missed the first couple of days with them. Sunday evening, we moved them into the coop. They are so happy to have the freedom to roam. I placed some clumps of grass in with them (learned this trick from Backyard Poultry magazine) so they could start eating greens and looking for bugs.

I worried these past two nights as the weather has been blustery. The babies need to be kept at about 90 degrees because they don't have a lot to keep them warm. They seem to be doing ok with the heat lamp and are still chirping away.

I have to be honest, it will be extremely hard to do the deed. They are SO CUTE! Maybe it will be easier when they all grow up to be ROOSTERS. Heaven knows we don't need any more roosters here! I threaten chicken nugget at least once a day that he will be my test subject when it comes time to stuff the freezer!

Photos to come soon.