Chickens… I have always wanted them.
I dream one day of having my own farmette, but that is a whole other post.
My dream of becoming a chicken keeper was finally coming true. I talked to a parent at school one day about my chicken owning dream, and he informed me he could get me a bunch of chicks. I was pretty excited, and I went home to break the news to JP. Surprisingly enough, he was all for it. All I had left to do was prepare a little, and wait for the eggs to give in to those cute little pecking beaks.
I brought home twelve babies a few weeks ago. Eight chickens and four turkens. My plan all along was to watch them grow and keep four to six laying hens. Fred (my chicken supplier) would take the others back at any point in time.
Our home teemed with excitement as we watched them grow, and I was delighted with my brood. One week after they came home, unfortunately, the sweetest little turken fell victim to Gizmo the hunter. (#3 has since become a vegetarian as a result of the “GREAT TURKENDAY MASSACRE” but then again, that is a whole other post)
Two weeks have passed and my chickens are outgrowing their cage, and they need to move to the coop. However…
I was talking to my neighbor about the little darlings one night, and he was explaining to me that even though we are in the county, and even though we have the room, we are not allowed to keep chickens here on our property because we don’t have enough acreage according to the county. He told me that I should keep them, but just keep them hidden from the street. “No one here will care unless you have a rooster waking up the neighborhood”
This got my mind turning and my heart churning.
I wrestled with my thoughts.
How in the world am I going to teach my children to always be honest, to always be ethical, to always do the right thing regardless of anyone catching you or not…
I CAN’T!
James 4:17 continued to run through my head. I say it ALL THE TIME to my students and my children.
17 (A)So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
How is keeping the chickens the right thing to do? I can’t tell our kids to do one thing and lead the other way! How does it look to my neighbors that the pastor and his wife next door are harboring fugitive chickens?
My children are unhappy, and my chicken-loving vegetarian is heart broken. I know that in the long run they will respect a mom who makes the right decision, but right now if hurts to see them cry. It is sad that I will have to wait to fulfill my chicken raising dreams. However, I can hold my head high that I did the right thing.
Sometimes it stinks to make the tough decision.
Congratulations, well chosen.
Yah!! No chickens!! 😉
Seriously. I know its hard for you, but you ARE doing the right thing.