Peace, Love, and Chickens
Week 4: The Girls Get Real Estate
The kits arrived on a Friday.
Yes, I am excited.
Yes, I have already mentally decorated.
And yes, the location for this tiny chicken subdivision has already been selected.
Some people plan patio furniture.
We are planning poultry infrastructure.
My sister came over and we decided to begin putting the little house together. And by we, of course I mean mostly her because I am not tool oriented.
She did a great job, and Eddie was glad for a lighter work load over the weekend.
Choosing the Spot
Before a single screw has been turned, we’d already picked the place where their little house and pen will go.
Good drainage.
Good visibility.
Good access.
Plenty of shade from hot Mississippi weather.
Enough room to improve later.
Apparently even chickens deserve thoughtful real estate placement.
Honestly? They do.
Eddie, Project Manager
What I love most is watching Eddie explain how he plans to reinforce everything.
Not just assemble it.
Improve it.
Strengthen weak points.
Secure openings.
Add a barrier around the perimeter so nothing can dig underneath and get in.
That’s who he is.
He does not think in terms of “good enough.”
He thinks in terms of protection.
The Man Behind the Grumbling
This is the same man who muttered about “dang chickens.”
And yet here he is, designing defenses, discussing barriers, and planning upgrades like he’s protecting a tiny feathered fortress.
I know him well enough to recognize the pattern.
He may grumble with his mouth.
But he loves with his hands.
Why It Moves Me
There is something deeply comforting about a thoughtful man.
A man who sees responsibility and steps toward it.
A man who considers what could go wrong and quietly works to prevent it.
A man who builds safety before anyone asks twice.
That kind of steadiness means more than flashy gestures ever could.
The Girls, Unaware
Meanwhile, the chicks know none of this.
They are currently focused on:
crumbs
dirt
climbing things
dramatic flapping
yelling for no clear reason
They have no idea zoning and security meetings are happening on their behalf.
Week Four Truth
Love is often practical.
It looks like measuring tape.
It looks like hardware cloth.
It looks like perimeter barriers.
It looks like someone thinking ahead so the vulnerable can rest.
What I’m Learning
Sometimes the sweetest words are not spoken.
Sometimes they are built.
Sometimes care sounds like a drill, a sigh, and a man saying:
“I’ve got this.”
—Niki