I-search 'why'

I have four chickens living in my backyard. I know virtually nothing about raising chickens. It started as a causal conversation with my wife late last winter. The idea was to try something new and it would be an easy way to have some insect control for the garden and yard. We would have fertilizer for gardening and for the worst case scenario we would eat them. Before I knew it she had been to a local farm and purchased four chicks for $12. She brought them home in a shoe box and had stopped at the hardware store on her way. She asked a worker at the store what she would need to get started with these chicks and he directed her to the feeders and other equipment. All the stuff she would have to have to start these chicks. The hardware store also sells chickens but had been sold out for months and had a waiting list for the next shipment. So in the door she comes with a fifty pound bag of chick feed and a brown shoe box that was peeping. The kids were excited about the prospect of some new pets and had a great time playing with them in the box. I sat and looked at the little yellow, fluffy, peeping things and asked myself what had I gotten into. They look cute now but what happens when they start to grow. One of the biggest issues that I had was to make sure these animals were cared for properly and humanly (until they went into the pot). I know almost nothing about raising chickens, and I will need to answer some questions.

• Where will they live?

- What kind of coop will they need to live in, and how much space will this require?

- Where should I locate the coop? Near or away from the house?

- How will I keep them warm in the winter months? And who warm to they need to be?

• How do you care for them? What things do I need to have to properly care for them?

- How fast will they grow?

- When can they go outside too live?

- What kind of diseases do they carry? And can they make my family sick?

- How long to they live? And when do they start laying eggs?

- How can I tell a male from a female?

- Is there anything I need to know before eating the eggs?

• How do you clean a chicken for eating?

- What is the process for cleaning a chicken?

- What is a good size to turn them into meat chickens?

-What do you feed them to fatten them up before slaughter?

-How will the girls react when one is on the table?

-Will they taste different without all the growth hormones and antibiotic in them?

Now that I have all these questions to answer I am getting somewhat excited about the future.