First, I'd like to say thanks to everyone here. I've decided to get serious about raising chickens and this site has been the greatest resource!
I've been lurking for a couple years now whenever I needed some advice ever since my neighbor's daughter got bored with her chickens (translation=pre-teen) and I adopted 6 hens... then suddenly her 'mimi' needed to get rid of some of hers, so I ended up with them too. 10 roos and 4 more hens later I called the place the Rooster Ranch since they all got along. They sure were a pretty bunch of boys. My other neighbors thought I was nuts. They're mostly ranchers, we're out in the country. Moved here 5 years ago. They laugh at me a lot. Cheap entertainment!
I had an old small shed we converted into a makeshift coop, and they used it until a BIG copperhead snake got in and scared the $#%! out of them. Then they insisted on roosting in the cedars at night. That snaked dropped onto hubby's back from the rafters one night when he was closing things up... scared the $#%! outta him too! Two years later, a couple of icy winters, and another neighbor's new dog took out most of them. We're down to 1 roo and 2 hens. They're bantam size and pretty plain. Black hens and a red-headed black roo.
This spring we added a 20x30 run, but summer was too hot and dry this year to finish the coop remodel so no new chickies for now. By the time winter hits we'll have the coop more secure and refurbished inside. Next spring I'll add a handful of layers because I miss those fresh eggs! Will definitely need some input before choosing what breed/s will be best suited to our climate and surroundings.
When I'm not messing with the chickens or at work, I'm tending to 1 hubby, 4 dogs, 2 horses & 19 cats.
I've been lurking for a couple years now whenever I needed some advice ever since my neighbor's daughter got bored with her chickens (translation=pre-teen) and I adopted 6 hens... then suddenly her 'mimi' needed to get rid of some of hers, so I ended up with them too. 10 roos and 4 more hens later I called the place the Rooster Ranch since they all got along. They sure were a pretty bunch of boys. My other neighbors thought I was nuts. They're mostly ranchers, we're out in the country. Moved here 5 years ago. They laugh at me a lot. Cheap entertainment!
I had an old small shed we converted into a makeshift coop, and they used it until a BIG copperhead snake got in and scared the $#%! out of them. Then they insisted on roosting in the cedars at night. That snaked dropped onto hubby's back from the rafters one night when he was closing things up... scared the $#%! outta him too! Two years later, a couple of icy winters, and another neighbor's new dog took out most of them. We're down to 1 roo and 2 hens. They're bantam size and pretty plain. Black hens and a red-headed black roo.
This spring we added a 20x30 run, but summer was too hot and dry this year to finish the coop remodel so no new chickies for now. By the time winter hits we'll have the coop more secure and refurbished inside. Next spring I'll add a handful of layers because I miss those fresh eggs! Will definitely need some input before choosing what breed/s will be best suited to our climate and surroundings.
When I'm not messing with the chickens or at work, I'm tending to 1 hubby, 4 dogs, 2 horses & 19 cats.
