chickens, and pigs and lambs, oh my!

that's right! spring is just around the corner! wooo hooo! i can't wait! i have been bugging the hubby about picking the spot for the garden, fixing the shed, and getting the place for the pig ready. poor guy, i don't think he realized that by marrying me he was getting himself into so much work! oh well, 11 years later, he should be used to it! the kids are so excited about the animals. alex has been bugging me for weeks about the pig. we are going this week to pick it out. haley's wanting to go see her lambs. they actually get 2 or 3, and then pick one to show, and lenny keeps the others. she gets to sell the lamb she picks to show at the fair. i don't know how they are going to do with selling the pig and lamb, but i guess we will see. alex hasn't even gotten the pig yet, and has already decided to show chickens ducks and maybe turkeys next year. why couldn't he have decided this when i tried to talk him into chickens when we started 4-H? *sigh* pigs are so much more work! my husband has actually acted somewhat excited about chickens. we were talking about letting them "free-range" during the day. he said something about building a movable cage for them...just so they aren't completely unprotected during the day. we aren't sure how all the cats out here would react to the chickens. i think if they are older, (the chickens) they could probably handle their own, but i would hate to chance it. plus there are some dogs around...so maybe that would be best. alex is really wanting some ducks. now that the pond is almost full, i think that it would be pretty cool to see some ducks or geese out there. i just don't want too many. last thing i want is kids slipping and sliding in duck/goose poop!
now that we are down to the 2 turtles, the 2 lizards, and the fish, i am really wanting to get some more animals. it just doesn't seem right to be called bauerzoo when i only have those pets, well and the kids. i think it would be good for all the kids here...mine and those i watch. making them earn their keep (lol). i know the older boys would love to help with the pig and chickens. they both live in subdivisions and can't have any type of farm creatures.
oh well, i had better get back to the kiddos!
oh yeah, this is a blogger that is giving away a $25 gift certificate to ideal poultry in cameron, texas (hello rachel?). click over there if you think you might be in need of some feathered friends! very very cool!
http://lifeinthelostworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/spring-blog-giveaway.html