Starting a small backyard flock in middle Georgia

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themoldypeach

themoldypeach

In the Brooder
6 Years
Mar 26, 2013
66
3
33
Cadwell, Ga
Hello, BYC! My family of 5 people have decided to bring in the chickens! A dog, 2 cats, 3 turtles, and a gold fish just wasn't cuttin' it anymore; we need some pets that give back.
At Easter we bought a barred Rock & 2 EE from our local farm supply store. We raised them on our back porch for a good while before putting them in what we thought was a super fantastic chicken run - their 2nd night in their new digs, a fox got dug in & slaughtered my flock.
I cried. And cried. And then....I cried some more. THEN I got on Craig's List & found a local breeder who kindly sold me a few of her new blue splash marans, and few weeks later, some of her most precious Swedish Flower Hens. And this week we are going to pick up some lavender Orpingtons, blue cochin bantams, and silkies.
I ended up taking 1 of the Marans back b/c she was being picked on by my big fat b!$*&y hen who is the one I really should have hauled off (lesson learned #101). They are in the repaired & improved run with a souped up dog house for a coop. The Flower Hens are only a few weeks old so are in a dog crate inside the run. We built an official brooder for the babies on the way.
Chickens are fun again. Can't wait for eggs!
 
Greetings from Kansas, moldypeach, and
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! Great to have you with us! Sorry to hear about your first birds - happy you are having fun with your second!! Good luck and have fun!
 
Howdy!
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Welcome to BYC.... from another Georgian
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So sorry about the loss of your first ones. Darn predators.....we always have to stay a step ahead of them don't we.! Since I started using a "baby monitor", I rest a little better now.

Best of luck with your new flock!
 
Welcome to BYC. If all else fails, fortify your run with electric fencing. Keep an eye on that 'Boss' hen. She will cause problems when you integrate the younger birds.
 
Oh, shucks! You guys are great! Thanks so much for the warm welcome.
My husband has already talked about getting a baby monitor - a great idea to him b/c he sleeps like a log. I, on the other hand, will be wide awake with every cricket chirp. I thought the fox would be back the next night but we have never seen any signs since. We live in town so it was unusual to begin with. I have left the big security light on though so maybe that has something to do with it. I am ordering some solar powered motion lights off Ebay to put on the corners of the run; anyone else have tried those?
Gemma, my "boss" hen, may be a chicken I would be willing to pluck & eat. I thought I was too soft for that....she is changing my mind.
 

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