So yesterday we had to drive into town because both girls are in homeschool band and I had about a gazillion errands to get done.
While the middle child, who, by-the-way is in beginner band, wowed everyone with her talent playing the xylophone, our oldest child received knitting lessons from a fellow homeschooling mom. I also made good use of this time by working with my youngest kiddo on his reading skills.
When beginner band was over, my oldest with clarinet in tow joined her fellow intermediate band players and I whisked both middle and younger into the van to go get a fraction of those gazillion errands accomplished.
First, the library. Easy enough as I had all fifty plus books and assorted DVD's, video cassettes, CD's, and books on CD in the front passenger seat so that all I had to do was pull up to the book- drop and slamdunk them as quickly as possible. And I've just gotta ask here...am I the only one that feels some kind of displaced pressure to get this done as quickly as possible?
Just asking.
Both kiddos sat calmly in the back discussing things like who's turn it was to check eggs when we got home and Wipeout, a primetime show they never get to watch unless daddy is supervising them.
Finished that errand and we were off to the Farm Bureau office to deliver our Bucket Calf Program thank you cards for the program sponsors...that are a week overdue. Sigh.
There, we were pleasently surprised that the girls had made more money than originally thought on showing their calves. So what followed was the middle child wanting to know how much she can keep.
The bank was the next stop so that I could withdraw grocery money (cash) for the next two weeks. We're avid Dave Ramsey fans and have budgeted this way for the last seven years. It works for us.
Then back to the church where homeschool band lessons are held to pick up oldest daughter.
En route, I called my husband to see if he would like to meet us for lunch at one of our favorite Chinese buffets. Yes, he would, good...things were clicking right along.
It was during lunch that things started to unravel in a very unsuspecting way.
Cue the Twilight Zone music:
Idle chatter and the normal food eating noises.
Someone (probably me) mentions chickens (we are after all at a Chinese restaurant where chicken is in every dish possible) and quite honestly I still cannot remember how our local farm store came into the conversation and my husband mentioned that they had chicks on sale. But that's all I heard...
CHICKS ON SALE
My mind raced and started to quickly review all the opportunities that adding more chickens to our little flock of six would provide for our family:
More eggs (selling eggs at our local farmers market and to friends)
Meat (We have friends that have butchered their birds and I've wanted to since observing them do it)
Hatching out chicks (I would like to eventually sell baby birds)
Showing chickens at the county fair and winning the big bucks (I hear you laughing, Misty)
And last, but certainly not least, the educational experience (no explanation necessary, right)
My head was spinning with the possibilites...but first, I had to get the go-ahead from my husband, of course.
I had that they were on sale on my side.
I asked and he okayed.
The kids were giddy!
I was giddy.
My husband, not so much giddy...but agreeable to the whole nutty idea of purchasing more livestock that we had not yet made room for. Sigh.
Okay, so after lunch, the kids and I rushed to our local farm store to check out their bargain chicks.
And may I just add here that baby chickens are everything that the word cute was meant to describe!
The kids each wanted one and made hasty promises to pay me back with their county fair earnings.
Oldest picked out two Silver Laced Wyandottes, Middle picked out two Bantams, and Youngest picked out a single Buff Orpington (his fair earnings were a bit measly this year). I went ahead and picked out four more Buff Orpingtons and we called it good.
Total: 9 new chicks to add to our 6 hens at home. Bringing the chicken population to 15.
Can you say, lunacy?
Oh, and I forgot to mention that seven of the new chicks were "straight run." For those that may not know, straight run means that you don't know whether your chicks are male or female. I'm hoping that one of the BOs is a rooster so that we can breed those and I'm okay with one of the Bantams being a rooster, BUT THAT'S IT! Anymore roosters and they'll be a part of that butcherin' I mentioned above.
(Deep Sigh)
So as I sit here typing this and praying (really) that I don't lose this post to cyberspace, I'm accompanied by nine little creatures scratching, pecking, and peeping in a tub with a heatlamp hanging overhead. The kids have been thoroughly entertained with holding them and just observing.
Me? Well, I'm completely taken with their sweetness but still...but still questioning my sanity.
Hope you're having a perfectly sane and productive day,
Blessings, The Chicken Lady
