And then there were 12

The non-human members of our family now outnumber the Homo sapiens two to one.  Joining the dog, spider, fish, snake, and rats are six healthy and happy little chicks.

Anyone who's paid attention to my pontificating for the past year or two will be well-aware of my Project Poultry Crusade (AKA convincing Mike why we really needed more pets, specifically egg-laying chickens)  I can't help it... having grown up around chickens and horses and cows and goats and dogs and cats and pigs - and a never-ending assortment of everything in between - animals are just in my blood.  And in turn, they're in the kids' blood too.   Mike grew up with no pets, so it's been a battle compromise from the beginning.   But there are five of us, and one of him, and well... he loves us a lot.  

So after much research, discussion, and a good amount of waiting, he agreed to the chickens.  And yesterday afternoon Foghorn, Sam, John, Angie, Dora, and Emerson joined our flock.

They're already being lovingly tended to by the kids, and vigilantly looked over by the dog.  We're hopeful that with some patient training and constant and CLOSE supervision, she'll learn to protect them and not eat them.