COLUMBIA, S.C. — For those wanting to experience a little bit of what a farm looks like, now is your chance!
Peaky Hollows, a family-owned farm in Newberry, has recently started a rent-a-chick program to give families who may not have the resources to take care of chickens a chance to rent them.
"The adopt-a-chick program came to be because I thought what better way to get farm animals into people's homes that maybe wouldn't otherwise have them if they were big," said part owner of the Peaky Hollow Farm Lindsey Gainey.
The Gainey family made the choice to go for it during COVID and make their dream of owning a farm a reality in hopes of sharing their love and joy of animals with the community.
"Let's invite people. Let's give people the opportunity to see these animals and love on them like we do," said Gainey.
The farm, established in 2021, has many animals, but has recently fostered a new program to allow community members a chance to raise a chick for up to 3 weeks.
"It's not a new concept, it was just something that we knew that wasn't in our backyard and we knew people who were near us who could come pick them up," Lindsey's husband, Brad Gainey said. "Not everyone gets a chance to have this opportunity, say you live in a neighborhood with a small backyard or small house. So with this idea you can have them for a little bit and bring them back when they are bigger."
The families who chose to adopt the chicks received three chicks with all the necessities to care for them over the 3-week time period.
"You get a heat lamp, two feeding trays, a bag of shaved pine, and then a bag of feed," Lindsey said as she went through the list. It also includes water and feed that Lindsey says should last their entire temporary stay.
As for the kids, Lindsey says it showed them what it takes to be responsible when handling an animal on their own.
Overall, both Lindsey and Brad agreed that teaching the kids skills like responsibility and sharing a bit of farm life with others is the primary goal.
"It's about sharing what we have with people. Anybody who thinks in their mind 'Oh it would be cool to own farm animals' or that they can't currently do it for some reason," Lindsey explained, "wanting to give them that opportunity and little taste of what farm life is like."
The first batch of chicks have already found their temporary home but the Gainey family says there are still more that are available.
As for when the program is up and running, it is most popular in the summer and spring months.
With many more chicks available, Peaky Hollow hopes others can experience a piece of their youth. To rent-a-chick visit their Facebook here.
Peaky Hollows isn't the only farm folks can rent chicks from, other farms in the area also include Farm 1780.
RELATED: USC set to offer new degree options