Playing Chicken Again. Or, Peep!!

Yes. We decided to wait until next year for chickens. We had a big wall from an old shed that was sitting and melting into the treescape that my mom and I started to resurrect into a chicken tractor for the 6 to 8 chicks that we are going to get next year for our small flock of 4 or 5.

We got it mostly finished. I think it's gonna be awesome.

Small problem, though. We're doing chickens this year. And due to a slight kerfuffle, we're gonna have 16 chicks. 8 Rhode Island Reds, and 8 New Hampshire Reds (because evidently being able to tell them apart is not something I care about...). The 8 Rhodies are currently in my shed peep peep peeping away under a heat lamp that makes them look slightly evil. The 8 Hampies (as I have decided to call them) are coming next week. Zora runs in the shed when she hears them peep particularly loudly and tries to lick them. (for now, anyway)

So scrap that plan, now we gotta build a full blown coop. 

Zora DOES have experience with chickens, and it wasn't the best...but I'm hoping that exposure to them as chicks (while they're in a protected environment...a rubbermaid with me sitting next to it) and being with them as they grow up will help. Or she'll go after them and I'll have to take the opportunity to break her of attacking them (I choose to believe that will be possible). Many many dogs coexist with chickens just fine. I just hope (hope hope!) that Zora will somehow morph into one.

In the meantime I will distract you from any morbid thoughts with cuteness! BEHOLD THE CUTENESS:

Cuteness in a box. On the way home.

Zora likes to lick them...

See? They look slightly evil under the red heat lamp...

 *Update: due to some strange planning, I had no chicken care this weekend while I was away at the manfriend's. So they came with. After 3 hours in the car together, Zora now sits next to the tub and sleeps. She only perks her ears up when one peeps particularly loudly.... I am hoping this is a guard instinct. (SHHHH! Please don't burst my bubble. It's been quite the week for me!)