GApeachmama
Songster
- May 10, 2025
- 75
- 149
- 103
Hi! Looking for other Black chicken keepers comfortable identifying themselves as Black in this space to build even more community than I’ve already found. Everyone has been so wonderful and welcoming. I want to build community amongst Black chicken keepers here to enhance that even further. Looking at YouTube and Instagram chicken keepers and homesteaders I wonder why I don’t see more Black people. I know we’re out there.
I’m a first time chicken mama. I have 9 chickens in a random backyard in the STL area. My coop is purple. My run is a gorgeous white color. And my girls are gloriously beautiful. They all have southern and/or commonly Black names. Except for one they are names I grew up hearing which brings me comfort so far from home. Nubia, Viola, Wanda, Gwanda (blame my 10 yr old), Sweet Baby, Buffy, Simone, Fanny Lou and Peaches.
I’m originally from GA. Keeping chickens and gardening helps me feel closer to my Grandma Emma and ancestors in general. I’m from the country and proud of it. I wasn’t always but as I get older I’m settling into a kinder relationship with myself and identity as a Southern Black American woman. I’m also neurodivergent and that’s been a journey to self acceptance also.
I’ve been a bit neurotic starting out but I’m calming down and enjoying just having the ladies more. My current quest is to finally finish the overly elaborate coop I’ve planned and built AND keep these heifers out of my garden.
My oldest girls were hatched May 5th and 7th. They’re 19 weeks this week. The babies Peaches and Fanny Lou were hatched June 13th if I’m not mistaken. They’ll be 14 weeks this coming Friday.
My favorite chicken is Nubia my Black Australorp. I’m obsessed with her coloring. That green sheen gets me every time. I also like her personality too though. Relatively calm and steady. According to McMurray Australorps can me early layers with possibility of laying starting around 18 weeks. Somebody said closer to 6 months. I hope they’re wrong and McMurray is right. I’m very eager to see that first egg. Her comb and wattle have been pretty red for at least 2-3 weeks. She’s eating a lot and is eating egg shells and oyster shell calcium. I think someone else is too but I haven’t caught them yet. Someone is also in my egg boxes but I haven’t caught them yet either. She should be first to lay. I want an egg any egg from my ladies to use at Thanksgiving just to say I did that.
My favorite name is Peaches. She’s one of my 3 EE. She’s the tiniest little thing but I think she’s more dominant than I thought. Her sister Fanny Lou is huge but much more timid.
Simone gets on my nerves but I’m coming like her twitchy self more as she trusts me more.
Viola is the leader of the rebellion but I think Nubia is top hen. I think she’s going to be next to lay after Nubia.
Sweet Baby was super sweet as a baby but wary now.
I’m working to regain Buffy’s trust after an unfortunate tail grabbing incident.
Wanda is named after a patient of mine that passed at her daughter’s request. Her fluffy butt is the most glorious one in the yard. Gwanda just hangs out.
I want to hug them all but once they became teenagers they became standoffish. Here’s to me getting back to a hug filled relationship with at least some of them.
Gwanda Lavender Orpington Just hangs out. Least drama. Sticks with her sister Wanda a lot.
Simone Salmon Faverolle aka Twitchy She’s been twitchy since birth I think.
Nubia Black Australorp The Boss Lady
Wanda Lavender Orpington and a sweetie pie. Her personality is actually similar to her namesake
Buffy Buff Orpington Her tail is intact but her dignity was compromised and her trust damaged. Poor thing. She’s recovering though.
Viola The escape artist and leader of the revolution until Nubia tells her to sit down somewhere
Sweet Baby Light Brahma may she be super sweet again. She mostly just eats all the d*mn food.
Fanny Lou Hamer EE Named after the Civil Rights great but nowhere near that bold. Standoffish. Hates to be separated from Peaches.
And last but not least….
Peaches. EE This lil mama may be small but she ain’t no punk. I don’t think the big ladies understand what’s coming at them.
Peaches and Fanny Lou together.
If you made it this far, thank you. Talk to y’all later.
I’m a first time chicken mama. I have 9 chickens in a random backyard in the STL area. My coop is purple. My run is a gorgeous white color. And my girls are gloriously beautiful. They all have southern and/or commonly Black names. Except for one they are names I grew up hearing which brings me comfort so far from home. Nubia, Viola, Wanda, Gwanda (blame my 10 yr old), Sweet Baby, Buffy, Simone, Fanny Lou and Peaches.
I’m originally from GA. Keeping chickens and gardening helps me feel closer to my Grandma Emma and ancestors in general. I’m from the country and proud of it. I wasn’t always but as I get older I’m settling into a kinder relationship with myself and identity as a Southern Black American woman. I’m also neurodivergent and that’s been a journey to self acceptance also.
I’ve been a bit neurotic starting out but I’m calming down and enjoying just having the ladies more. My current quest is to finally finish the overly elaborate coop I’ve planned and built AND keep these heifers out of my garden.
My oldest girls were hatched May 5th and 7th. They’re 19 weeks this week. The babies Peaches and Fanny Lou were hatched June 13th if I’m not mistaken. They’ll be 14 weeks this coming Friday.
My favorite chicken is Nubia my Black Australorp. I’m obsessed with her coloring. That green sheen gets me every time. I also like her personality too though. Relatively calm and steady. According to McMurray Australorps can me early layers with possibility of laying starting around 18 weeks. Somebody said closer to 6 months. I hope they’re wrong and McMurray is right. I’m very eager to see that first egg. Her comb and wattle have been pretty red for at least 2-3 weeks. She’s eating a lot and is eating egg shells and oyster shell calcium. I think someone else is too but I haven’t caught them yet. Someone is also in my egg boxes but I haven’t caught them yet either. She should be first to lay. I want an egg any egg from my ladies to use at Thanksgiving just to say I did that.
My favorite name is Peaches. She’s one of my 3 EE. She’s the tiniest little thing but I think she’s more dominant than I thought. Her sister Fanny Lou is huge but much more timid.
Simone gets on my nerves but I’m coming like her twitchy self more as she trusts me more.
Viola is the leader of the rebellion but I think Nubia is top hen. I think she’s going to be next to lay after Nubia.
Sweet Baby was super sweet as a baby but wary now.
I’m working to regain Buffy’s trust after an unfortunate tail grabbing incident.
Wanda is named after a patient of mine that passed at her daughter’s request. Her fluffy butt is the most glorious one in the yard. Gwanda just hangs out.
I want to hug them all but once they became teenagers they became standoffish. Here’s to me getting back to a hug filled relationship with at least some of them.
Gwanda Lavender Orpington Just hangs out. Least drama. Sticks with her sister Wanda a lot.
Simone Salmon Faverolle aka Twitchy She’s been twitchy since birth I think.
Nubia Black Australorp The Boss Lady
Wanda Lavender Orpington and a sweetie pie. Her personality is actually similar to her namesake
Buffy Buff Orpington Her tail is intact but her dignity was compromised and her trust damaged. Poor thing. She’s recovering though.
Viola The escape artist and leader of the revolution until Nubia tells her to sit down somewhere
Sweet Baby Light Brahma may she be super sweet again. She mostly just eats all the d*mn food.
Fanny Lou Hamer EE Named after the Civil Rights great but nowhere near that bold. Standoffish. Hates to be separated from Peaches.
And last but not least….
Peaches. EE This lil mama may be small but she ain’t no punk. I don’t think the big ladies understand what’s coming at them.
Peaches and Fanny Lou together.
If you made it this far, thank you. Talk to y’all later.
