We've wanted to get chickens since we've moved to our new house, but my husband and I are VERY good (well a lot better than we used to be) about putting off projects until we can do them properly. Ok, so we're not VERY good, but we're getting better. We really wanted to get chickens for the summer, but with Quilt Market just weeks away, and other projects we want to do this summer, we decided to hold off.

Until....

Our Renaissance-man next door neighbor told us he's been wanting to get chickens too, and offered to build the coop himself right between our two fences, and we'd just take turns tending to them. We both have been wanting to have our kids learn a little work, and so we told the neighbors that we'd be selling our extra eggs. We started out with 12 chicks, but once the neighbors found out ,they all wanted fresh eggs too. So now we have 18.

And they are all, as I type this, inside my living room sleeping all snuggled in a ball inside a clear bin. With fresh worms from our garden and a special stick from Ian so they have a toy to play with.

This one is called Lemon. Don't be fooled, he actually likes being held like this, and is quite fond of Ian. He loves being snuggled next to his cheek, and will stay in his hands nice and calm, for minutes. Ian has taken to quite a few of them. He even named his favorite one 'Sweetie'.

My husband and I have been learning how to care for the chickens, and lucky for us, our neighbor is quite the expert too. I hate to see them grow though....aren't they just adorable? We've had them 4 days now, and they've already gotten so much bigger! By the end of the week, they'll be able to fly out of the box we've made for them. But it's still too cold to let them sleep outside, and frankly, my 3 kids are tickled to have 18 chickens sleeping over in the front room right now.