My Free Ranging chooky's...

About a year ago (around the time We put in our vege garden) My husband wanted to get a pet for the kids. What we REALY wanted was a bunny rabbit. A big, fat, fluffy bunny..but as we are Queenslanders, we sadly arnt allowed.
My husband suggested getting chickens. My instant reaction was 'UGH...too much work, messy blah, blah, blah' anyway...after much convincing and enquiries to the local council, I was starting to cave.
As I was on an Organic, fresh, healthy free range mission, my husband convinced me that we could have fresh eggs that are 'free range' as well as have cute little pets.
SO...we ended up with 5 day old chicks. We got one each for Mr. Buzz Lightyear (our son) and Miss Mimi (our daughter). We decided on Silky bantums as they look so cute and fluffy.
Miss Mimi chose a white one, Buzz a brown.
They were so cute and tiny. They just fit into our hands and just chirped away. So cute.
We kept them inside for the first couple of months, in a box in the laundry. We placed a lamp in with them to keep them snug and warm. They didnt move much, just huddled.It took a few days for the kids to decide what names we were going to call our new family members. Finally they decided on 'Polly' and 'Zinger' (yes...as in KFC LOL...You can thank my husband for that one). Anyway, the names stuck and we now have 2 new members of our family.
After a few months they were getting ready to move on to their own home...OUTSIDE!
Mu husband had got them a little house and made it all safe and secure from the Neighbors cats, the birds and any other little rodent that might consider intruding. They settled in pretty quick and easy and loved their new found freedom.


Early one sunday morning hubby and I were awoken by the sound of 'ROCK-A-ROODLE-ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" a crackling sounding cock from our 'appent' Polly...Yes, Polly who was meant to be a girl was in fact a blossoming Rooster.
The thing is with chooks, you cant tell the sex of them untill they hit maturity. We were told from the local council we wernt allowed a rooster as they are too noisy, we can only have females.
So, that day (without knowlege to the kids who would have been devestated) hubby took 'Polly' back to the farm we got her and swapped her for an identical female version. LOL. The kids were none the wiser..and still arn't hehe. We might tell them when they are older.


A year on, we still have our little chooky's. The eggs are a little on the smaller side (apparently bantums are)but are delicious and fresh. The kids love talking to them, and collecting the eggs. They free range around our little home. (we live in the burbs but on a big block). When we're home or in the pool or garden they just potter around us.
They are so easy and Self-sufficient. They are also a great companion. I dont know what I was worried about. Im glad we got them. They truly are apart of our little family.