Most of you know that Jeff is a "chicken farmer". He has had a passion for raising chickens for many years now and about a year and a half ago, he made it a reality. He worked very hard to build a beautiful chicken coupe that would house a few birds. We got our first birds in March of 2005 and received our first egg on Jeff's birthday that year. Unfortunately, in taking on this hobby of chicken farming, he also took on the learning experience that comes along with it. Things like enclosing the roof of the coupe and making sure all areas are secure were overlooked that first year and we lost our whole group of hens to a fat and happy animal. YIKES! So, Jeff worked intently to secure the coupe and we got our second herd of birds this past spring. I couldn't help but notice that as these birds grew, one was standing out more than the others...and looking more and more like a rooster. Oh yes, we got a rooster in the mix. Oddly enough our neighbors were all a little bummed by the time we got rid of him. It's not often you hear a rooster crow in the middle of the afternoon...in the middle of St. Louis County! :) We also lost two more birds to something that was very hungry and really worked to dig under the fencing around the pen. So, we currently have three full grown hens that lay an egg/day...3 eggs a day makes for a very full refrigerator. We also have three "teenage" birds as well. The situation is a bit volatile right now as the hens really enjoy establishing the pecking order! Stay tuned for details on the chicken drama as it unfolds!
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