For some odd reason I have always wanted a flock of chickens. Last summer I decided it was time for me to finally get them. So, my husband and I built a coop and a friend gave me two Delaware chickens to start my colony off with. I had always wanted bantam chickens but decided I would try my luck with the Delaware’s first. I grew up in the city and knew absolutely nothing about chickens, let alone raising them, so big chickens seemed like a good starting bird.

So there I was with two chickens, and I named my new birds (a hen and a rooster) Lunch and Dinner. Dinner being the rooster and Lunch the hen, they did surprisingly well and Lunch soon started laying an egg a day. I felt pretty confident so I decided to get a few more chickens and this time I chose Silkie chickens. These were the chickens I had always wanted.

I knew if we were to remain a happy and calm household I had to get the dogs used to the chickens and vice versa. I started by showing the chickens to the dogs and eventually led up letting the chickens out with one dog at a time. Eventually the chickens would come out of their house when they would see the dogs, the dogs would greet the chickens and the chickens would chirp for the dogs.

My Silkie chickens are now grown and laying and just this Spring I decided to expand my chicken colony by seven new baby hens. These baby hens are starting the same introduction process as the Silkies went through with the dogs. Eventually, these babies will join the Delaware’s and the Silkie’s and hopefully everyone will get along. Who knows which chicken breeds we’ll get next!