Anticipation!

I've made a decision to become closer to one of my food sources. Inspired by the writing of Barbara Kingsolver and the practice of one of my sisters, I've decided to raise some egg-laying chickens. I chose Americaunas. Americauna chickens are cold hardy, docile, and friendly. They are rumpless. They have no rumps. Other chickens have showy behinds but not Americaunas. Their combs are small which makes them cold hardy. Americaunas have prominent ear tufts. The main reason I chose them is that they lay green eggs. I wanted colorful eggs. Some catalogs referred to them as the Easter Egg chicken. We won't have to dye these eggs though because they are already green. The color of the eggs reportedly varies from turquoise to olive green. The birds themselves can vary from white to black to anything inbetween. I felt strange paging through the catalog of chickens and selecting a breed. A wave a guilt passed through me and I felt like a plantation owner selecting a slave. That feeling passed and I made my selection. I wanted 2 or 3 hens. My sister ordered 6 in case some do not survive. She says she will sell the extra chickens. They're coming around April first. She's offered to raise them during that first month when they're fresh from the egg. I said I could pay her chick support. Day old chicks can be mailed because they can survive on their yolk sac. After that they need to be fed and watered and kept warm (between 90 and 100 degrees). Will I miss out on the whole chicken experience if I don't raise them from the start? I'm not sure but right now I'm leaning toward raising them myself. I still have to order a chicken tractor (portable coop and run). I want something portable so I can move the chickens around the yard and make sure they get fresh weeds and bugs to munch on and fresh dirt to scratch up. Eggs from free range chickens have less fat and less cholesterol than eggs from caged chickens. The Americauna breed is originally from South America. Their rumplessness made them safer from predators who try to grab them from behind. I decided against getting a rooster. I won't need baby chicks. Hens won't offend the neighbors as much. If I get brave enough to let my hens roam the yard, they won't roam as far without a rooster to protect them. Besides, my neighbors two doors down have a rooster for their flock. When I want to hear a rooster, I can just listen to him crow two doors down. I am excited to be a chicken owner and egg producer. Koo Koo Katchoo. I'll be an egg woman!