Chickens on a Sunday Afternoon

When Jeremy Gibbs told his parents, John and Michelle Gibbs, that he needed to do a science project in the 5th grade, the family didn’t plan on making a lifelong commitment. But six years later, they are still nurturing that “science project.”
Jeremy’s project was to purchase a dozen chicks and to see how various feeding and living conditions determined their rate of growth.
Now that the newness of the chicken business had undoubtedly worn off for the 10th grader at Jay High School, his sister Bridget makes twice daily trips to gather eggs and to feed and occasionally play and love on the “pets”.
The family has a favorite bird (don’t tell the other chickens) but rooster “Chip” is hands down the family’s favorite. When the rooster was attacked by a coyote several years ago, after calling the veterinarian, rushing him to the vet and spending out a vet bill of $80 – the $2.50 bird was good to go. He certainly is a handsome rooster and is obviously the “man of the house.”
The mixture of two types of breeds Ameracauna and Bard Rocks, yields approximately 10-14 eggs a day, some of them a beautiful green/blue egg. Special precautions with protective wire across the top of the pen keep out natural predators such as owls and coyotes.
Mom, Michelle, said that when Chip was a little guy they would say “good morning’ y’all” to the chickens  and now when Chip crows in the morning, it has the distinctive sound of the same “good mornin y’all.
In a day of bad news and negative stories of kids – it’s great to step back a little and watch a family enjoy something as simple as raising some chickens and learning lessons about love and commitment along the way.

Gibbs Chickens