Gossiping at the water cooler, originally uploaded by mslaura.

Our girls are finally here!

I've been wanting to have chickens for *years* and my moment has finally come.

First we didn't have a big enough yard. Our townhouse barely had more than a patio. When we moved into our current happy home, I knew it would be prime digs for some happy hens. Nice big backyard.

Then there was the coop. Where to put it? How to build it? Too many decisions, aarrghh. But then I found the Eglu and I knew it was just what I was looking for. The only problem was that it was only sold in the UK, and shipping charges to the US were several hundred dollars, so put it out of my price range. The dang thing is *already* pricey.

Well, finally Omlet started selling Eglus in the US, so I started saving up my money. The day arrived when I had enough to get my Eglu. Hooray!

Now I had my coop. Time to get some chickens! But another roadblock popped up...no chickens were to be found! I could order fertile eggs, or baby chicks in the mail, but no chickens were to be found locally. I don't really want baby chicks, they need a lot of care and attention and some special equipment. Eggs are even harder.

I finally found a local woman who had some young pullets for sale, but they were Bantam Silkies, actually a hyrbid of Silkies and an even smaller chicken. They were cute, but tiny, and sort of fuzzy/furry instead of feathery. Not really my style. I like the glossy, big beautiful barnyard type chickens.

So I nixed the Silkies. But I couldn't find anything else. Finally I turned to Omlet and they said that they could send me two Gingernut Rangers by mail. Just the kind of bird I was looking for. Big, docile, friendly, curious hens that lay lots of lovely eggs.

I felt bad about sending them through the mail, but oh well. There didn't seem to be any other way to get my chickens.

They arrived last night at the post office, but my phone ringer was turned off and then I left the damn thing in the car, so the poor things spent the night at the post office last night. I didn't think they were coming until this afternoon, so when I heard the message I was a bit unprepared. I finished setting up the chicken run, put food and water in their bowls, plumped up the nesting box with straw and set off for the post office.

The poor girls were very hungry and thirsty when I got them home. They spent the first hour just drinking water and eating feed. Now they're clucking happily, exploring their run, and scratching around for the corn that I put in the grass.

They look a little worse for wear. Their tail feathers are kind of beat up, their combs and wattles look pale and dry, and they had their beaks clipped at the hatchery...which I find awful! Their lower beak juts out and the top beak is nipped off to a stub. It's horrible. I feel bad for them. I hope their beaks grow out soon.

They really are lovely though. I'm sure once they get some good food and happy hen living they'll be gorgeous. Their feathers are a beautiful brilliant gingery-red color mixed with white. Pretty yellow legs. They're very sweet and docile, and they are obviously very close to one another. They come up close for a snuggle every once in a while, bringing their heads together.

They're sooooo soft. They have to stay in their run for five days so that they imprint on their new home and know where to come and roost at night, but after that they can free-range all around the yard during the day. I can't wait...then we can really begin to handle them, hold them, and watch them explore and do their chicken thing.

I'm thrilled. It's funny the reaction I get. It's either "Um, chickens?" like I'm simply off my rocker, or else people get that spark in their eye, "Ohhhh, you are going to have backyard chickens? Can I come and see them? I'm so jealous! Wow, chickens......"