Hi All!
My wife and I have just purchased our first six chicks to start our backyard flock. Actually we purchased four, then she purchased another while I was at work, then I purchased another the next day when I took back the cage she bought to get a larger one. I'm sure the story is a common one for a lot of you! Our plan is to keep only hens since we are not allowed to have a crowing rooster in the city limits and we don't want to upset the neighbors. We now have two Ameraucanas, one Barred Rock, one Rhode Island Red, one bantam Brahma (not sure if she is light, buff, or dark yet), and a Silver Laced Wyandotte. Amidst the guarantees from the first feed shop owner and the most likely-ies from the second we should end up with all hens, but we do understand the uncertainty in sexing the chicks at less than a week old. Let's just hope the surprise chick is not her favorite Brahma!
I do plan on being fairly active on the site and it is by far the best organized one I have stumbled across so far in my searches. The coop is not built yet so once the funds arrive in August I am going to be building one based on some of the designs I have seen here. We are raising the chickens for their eggs, to use their droppings in our compost for the gardens, and to teach our three year old son how to care for these animals. We also have a black lab, a brindle boxer, a maine coon, various freshwater fish, and a Sulcata tortoise. If both of us weren't working full-time or lived in the correct zoning I'm certain we would also be caring for horses, goats, pigs and alpacas. Once I reach my ten post limit I'll start uploading some pics so everyone can get to know the new arrivals!
Edited by Lazarus718 - 7/9/12 at 2:18pm
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from Alabama. Glad you joined us. 
