"Will Work For Food"

My new poultry family consists of 2 barred rocks, 2 buff orpingtons, 2 silver laced wyandottes, and 2 golden laced wyandottes. This isn't a Noah's ark thing like my wife suggested because they're all females and I can't afford any hanky panky in the chicken coop because I have a limit on the number of chickens I can keep in my neighborhood. This was a result of a late night family discussion that narrowed down our selection based more on availability than anything else. As most of you are probably there is a chick shortage this year so avoid the rare breeds unless you're ok with receiving them in 2010! However, I'm ok with what we were able to get because let’s face it; the easier to get popular breeds became so popular because they are an all around excellent breed. They're almost 4 weeks old now and probably the most entertaining "pet" a family can have. They are also a real reminder to someone in the poultry supply business of what a chicken is all about. I keep a feeder full of chick starter and a baby cake supplement snack inside their little outdoor coop and yet my wife and I toss in a bug, additional feed, or even a piece of grass and they act like I might if I found a hundred dollar bill in a parking lot. I'd pick it up and run like hell with my wife and friends chasing me around trying to snatch it from my hands. That's what these little well fed chicks are like inside their all you can eat buffet/coop. Its perfect proof to me that chickens don't want to fed, they want to forage. Every time we try to make their lives a little easier by providing them with a 20 pound all you can eat "buffet of feed in a bucket" we rob them of their natural instinct and desire to forage for food. If our chickens could write, their sign would read "WILL WORK FOR FOOD". The "Free Range" Feeder is probably the first real answer to the chicken’s request. I know what you're thinking; isn't that cheating? Yes it is but with smaller tracts of land and greater egg production demand we are required to supplement their diets. That doesn't mean we have to completely remove the fun associated with being a chicken. Just watch your chickens for a little while and you'll see what I mean.