HI, My name is Shawn and I've been an addict for over 30 years...
As a kid we always had chickens, we ordered chicks in the mail, hatched them in an incubator and used broody hens. I think I was about 11 when I got my very own flock of Black Australorps, a big beautiful rooster and 12 hens. I sold eggs to neighbors via bike delivery, bought my own feed, let them out to range every day while I sat and watched them.. I was in heaven!!
We moved a couple of times during my high school years and I always seemed to have some animals and birds, even if they weren't chickens. I even managed to maintain my addiction while living in Brasil for a couple of years.. But college apartments frown on livestock I found out... Then came marriage, job changes, moves, children and while I managed to feed my addiction a little over the years, I never had the room for the "THE DREAM". For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of having my own land. 5-10 acres where I would raise chickens, pigs, cows and whatever else I wanted. Everytime it seemed like the dream was almost at hand something would happen and it would slip away.. Finally this past summer we were miraculously able to buy just over 10 acres of my wife's great-grandfathers original farm here in Idaho Falls. Her grandfather was born, raised, lived and died on this farm. Her parents built on one side and she grew up there... Now we get to build a house and achieve my dream!!
I'm a dreamer and a planner and I finally have something solid to start building those dreams on. Chickens will come first and I think some heritage turkeys, maybe a few guineas. I plan to hatch them out this spring so that hopefully about the time they are ready to leave the brooder, we will be moving into our new home.
I'm building an incubator for this purpose.. here's that saga.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=72494-the-great-incubator-project
I'll keep you posted on the dream!!! and if you are live in this neck of the woods or are ever passing through.. drop me a line and I'll have you over!!
Shawn
As a kid we always had chickens, we ordered chicks in the mail, hatched them in an incubator and used broody hens. I think I was about 11 when I got my very own flock of Black Australorps, a big beautiful rooster and 12 hens. I sold eggs to neighbors via bike delivery, bought my own feed, let them out to range every day while I sat and watched them.. I was in heaven!!
We moved a couple of times during my high school years and I always seemed to have some animals and birds, even if they weren't chickens. I even managed to maintain my addiction while living in Brasil for a couple of years.. But college apartments frown on livestock I found out... Then came marriage, job changes, moves, children and while I managed to feed my addiction a little over the years, I never had the room for the "THE DREAM". For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of having my own land. 5-10 acres where I would raise chickens, pigs, cows and whatever else I wanted. Everytime it seemed like the dream was almost at hand something would happen and it would slip away.. Finally this past summer we were miraculously able to buy just over 10 acres of my wife's great-grandfathers original farm here in Idaho Falls. Her grandfather was born, raised, lived and died on this farm. Her parents built on one side and she grew up there... Now we get to build a house and achieve my dream!!
I'm a dreamer and a planner and I finally have something solid to start building those dreams on. Chickens will come first and I think some heritage turkeys, maybe a few guineas. I plan to hatch them out this spring so that hopefully about the time they are ready to leave the brooder, we will be moving into our new home.
I'm building an incubator for this purpose.. here's that saga.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=72494-the-great-incubator-project
I'll keep you posted on the dream!!! and if you are live in this neck of the woods or are ever passing through.. drop me a line and I'll have you over!!
Shawn
