An Idea is Hatched

It’s funny how just a simple, ordinary experience can have an extraordinary impact, forever changing your life and those around you.  I tell the kids that every morning when they wake up they don’t know what kinds of interesting, exciting surprises await them.  Sometimes I forget that is true for me too.

We certainly didn’t think anything would come of walking to our Unitarian church one day this past winter.  Snow was starting to melt, the sun was out, so on the spur of the moment I asked Tanner (12) and Thea  (9) if they wanted to join me for a walk to church.

We stumbled upon some chickens in someone’s backyard as we headed up the hill.  Later, on the way home, Thea asked if we could take a route that would take us by the chickens again.  Much to our delight, the owner of the chickens was there, so we struck up a conversation, admiring her three happy hens. 

As a young girl, my family raised chickens on a small farm, so I was intrigued with the idea of hens growing old in a city neighborhood. It was a fun treat to see and enjoy our neighbor’s pet chickens, but we didn’t think about it much more.

Then, as we were just about home, it hit me, “We could have chickens!”  We already have an old, chicken coop in the back yard.  Ryan and I often joke about it, because it is wasted space, just storing junk, which we need to haul away.

And so, by taking that walk, on an ordinary day, the idea of raising chickens was hatched.