EasterEggerRose
Chirping
- Jun 16, 2022
- 27
- 101
- 71
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
With the exception of an attempt tragically cut short by an enterprising pine marten, this is my first time raising chickens. Our neighbors have successfully kept a small flock in a fenced area in their yard for some time now, and we are happily splitting feed costs and and will be sharing that space. At this point, however, we have been keeping the chicks we purchased in early May in a couple of plastic horse-watering troughs with a heat lamp in the barn. They've been happily growing there ever since.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
At this point, the neighbors have four grown chickens and ten juveniles (in the barn). We have eleven juveniles (in the barn) and are attempting to incubate eggs for my mother-in-law. So far, out of the seven eggs, two were unfertilized and now only two are for sure still alive/growing. They're supposed to hatch tomorrow.
(3) What breeds do you have?
The neighbors purchased Barred Rocks, but I couldn't resist Easter Eggers! I mean, how fun is that?!? Besides the aesthetic value of blue/green eggs, it will make egg collecting much more straightforward in terms of which eggs are whose (since all of the chickens will be living in the same coop/fence). Besides our ten Easter Eggers, I also couldn't help myself and purchased one Sapphire Olive Egger.
The hopefully hatching eggs are supposed to be Lavender Orpingtons.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
So far, it's been a hoot to watch these goofy birds get personalities. We haven't bothered to try to name the Barred Rocks (too similar), but all of our Easter Eggers are growing into their monikers. And getting eggs will obviously be great!
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
We have a small (10-hive) apiary that provides us with enough honey to eat and share with my parents, as well as enough surplus to sell to pay for any bees we have to replace in the spring. We've also been freeze-drying for a little over a year now, and that's been super fun. The fact that eggs can be freeze-dried makes this a complementary hobby.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
My husband and I live with our three small kids in the countryside of Northwest Wisconsin. We very much enjoy the outdoors and trying new things. Although we've only had one kiddo reach school age so far, we plan to continue homeschooling, which allows for mid-day egg collecting and chicken-holding in addition to the traditional subjects.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I found the backyardchickens website when I was researching which chicks to purchase. With the information from that website, my Excel spreadsheet, and some personal preferences, I chose the Easter Eggers. I was trying to figure out if our lovely lady Creampuff is actually a rooster and stumbled upon the forum. I will be posting some pictures in a different post.
With the exception of an attempt tragically cut short by an enterprising pine marten, this is my first time raising chickens. Our neighbors have successfully kept a small flock in a fenced area in their yard for some time now, and we are happily splitting feed costs and and will be sharing that space. At this point, however, we have been keeping the chicks we purchased in early May in a couple of plastic horse-watering troughs with a heat lamp in the barn. They've been happily growing there ever since.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
At this point, the neighbors have four grown chickens and ten juveniles (in the barn). We have eleven juveniles (in the barn) and are attempting to incubate eggs for my mother-in-law. So far, out of the seven eggs, two were unfertilized and now only two are for sure still alive/growing. They're supposed to hatch tomorrow.
(3) What breeds do you have?
The neighbors purchased Barred Rocks, but I couldn't resist Easter Eggers! I mean, how fun is that?!? Besides the aesthetic value of blue/green eggs, it will make egg collecting much more straightforward in terms of which eggs are whose (since all of the chickens will be living in the same coop/fence). Besides our ten Easter Eggers, I also couldn't help myself and purchased one Sapphire Olive Egger.
The hopefully hatching eggs are supposed to be Lavender Orpingtons.(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
So far, it's been a hoot to watch these goofy birds get personalities. We haven't bothered to try to name the Barred Rocks (too similar), but all of our Easter Eggers are growing into their monikers. And getting eggs will obviously be great!
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
We have a small (10-hive) apiary that provides us with enough honey to eat and share with my parents, as well as enough surplus to sell to pay for any bees we have to replace in the spring. We've also been freeze-drying for a little over a year now, and that's been super fun. The fact that eggs can be freeze-dried makes this a complementary hobby.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
My husband and I live with our three small kids in the countryside of Northwest Wisconsin. We very much enjoy the outdoors and trying new things. Although we've only had one kiddo reach school age so far, we plan to continue homeschooling, which allows for mid-day egg collecting and chicken-holding in addition to the traditional subjects.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I found the backyardchickens website when I was researching which chicks to purchase. With the information from that website, my Excel spreadsheet, and some personal preferences, I chose the Easter Eggers. I was trying to figure out if our lovely lady Creampuff is actually a rooster and stumbled upon the forum. I will be posting some pictures in a different post.
