I have spent a lot of winter days reading chicken blogs, devising the earliest incubation dates for the eggs, reminding the Little Boys to remember to do their chicken chores. A common joke of mine is that “Chickens are a Gateway drug” to harder farm life – goats, cows, rabbits etc… The Internet tells me how nice it is to have chickens supply manure for your garden, to eat bugs in your orchard, and provide healthy, natural eggs for your table. All of these tenets I can honestly, heartily support.