RIR and Barred Holland chicks, 1 month old.

I heard that term a few days ago on a webpage devoted to poultry fanciers. I have been spending a lot of time reading and researching all aspects of chicken husbandry; from selecting breeds, rearing chicks, feed, care, housing, incubation, and even dispatching.  One site I visit often, The Poultry Club on Facebook, has a very active membership consisting of all ages and levels of Poultry lovers. You need only “hang out” for a few minutes to see the love people have for their birds in general and more specifically, chickens.

There is enormous effort expended in the care of their flock. The process of raising poultry teaches many life lessons and through trial and error these people have become very knowledgeable about their craft. The group has formed a tight bond with each other as they share their triumphs (hatching new babies) and heartbreaks (birds lost to predators and illnesses). No one is alone in this group, they support and encourage each other without fail and the end result is bigger than the sum of its parts.

Chicken People.

Don’t be fooled. This isn’t just any group of people. There is real depth and experience in the stories they share. They are strong. They don’t give up. They are resourceful, creative, educated, determined. They rise to the challenge. They laugh and cry and get up the next day to start it all over again.

I’m hooked. I put my toe in this chicken pool about a month ago after we received our shipment of newly hatched chicks. I posted a picture of the babies and stepped back to see what would happen. Even though they must have seen the same thing a thousand times already, they acted like this little raggedy batch of chicks was the cutest things they had ever seen!

I next posted a question about herbal supplements. Boom! A half dozen informed responses within minutes. Another pic, another round of smiles and atta-boys.

Seeing how they interact with me and each other I got the feeling that this was a sort of “family”. They look out for one another and come to this place every day not only to feed a passion that they share in common, but also, because they genuinely enjoy the company of the group. They tackle each new problem together, without competition and with great courtesy, and more times than not, achieve a solution. It’s informal, casual and voluntary, but it works.

As I have gotten more deeply involved in the why and how of my personal chicken journey, I am seeing a passion of my own growing, and find myself reaching for the next level. How far do I want to go? I don’t know the answer to that question. The more I learn, the more I want to explore. It’s fascinating and interesting and I am following their lead.

Our chicks are a month old today! A month ago I would have thought that was the big story. But it’s only part of the picture. While I have been feeding and sheltering them these past 4 weeks, they have been working their magic on me. 24 faces staring at me every morning and evening, completely dependent on what I can provide. It is an awesome responsibility and yet…fun? I look forward to their antics. They are growing like weeds, trying to fly.

Watching them, watching me, I feel myself changed. There was our life before chickens, and now there is this life. This new life brings a change of attitude and new promise. We had made a conscious decision to take this path to become more self-sufficient. Chickens were the first step. Yet even at this early stage, I am richer for having started this process. I have met new friends who have taught me much in a very short time. I am thankful for their generosity. I am learning by their example. I am inspired.

Chicken People. Who knew?

Don’t forget you can catch me here or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer .  Happy Farming!