@50-45-1
Come say hello to 50-45-1! She has been a member since February 2008 and comes to us from Michigan.
Come say hello to 50-45-1! She has been a member since February 2008 and comes to us from Michigan.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. And is there a story behind your member name?
I am extremely blessed to live here in Michigan on a 98 acre farm that was homesteaded by my Grandfather back in 1880's.
I am now over 60 with an 18 year old daughter. I recently lost my husband to Cancer and am adjusting to life without him.
My user name 50-45-1 referencing the ages of my household when I became a member of my first chicken site back in 2003. The name of that farm website I can not remember but the 50 was my husband, 45 was me, and 1 was how old our daughter was at the time. This same user-name I use on about 3 websites now. Its just easy to remember.
2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens? (or any other poultry you have)I have been around chickens all my life. My mother kept chickens and as a young teen I remember learning to help her clean and dress them out for the freezer. I think they were white rocks (not a Cornish meat bird) and I would befriend them and feed them fresh grass and treats and like most kids was kind of heartbroken when it was time to butcher that special Bird that I had named.
I have had chickens most of my life with only a few brief times when work took all of my time or Predators clean me out. Its hard to remember a time when I did not have Free range chickens roaming around the yard and orchard.
I also always have dogs here on the farm. We currently have 3 mixed breed Guardian dogs who take there job very seriously. I also have quite a liking for Guineas for there quirky and entertaining antics. They are helpful with our tick problems and are very good at letting you know when something is not as it should be. The Dogs and all the chickens take heed when the guineas alarm.
3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
My favorite things about chickens would have to be how they make the barnyard full of life and are always eager to see me. Each and every one has a definite different personality. I enjoy the farm fresh eggs and sell or donate my extras making others happy also.
I guess I am on the fence as to if my flock is livestock or pets as I practice it both ways. On one hand I grow no attachments to those extra roosters I hatch out. I know we will part ways soon one way or the other. But I Also grow quite attached to a few of my birds. How Can you Help it?
I love this picture of a new chick with that piece of shell stuck on his face. Spring wouldn't be spring without chicks.
I once spent half a day trudging through the woods and fields looking for a Special Hen that was missing and cried when it was obvious she was gone. I also will keep non producing hens into there old age. After years of production and service dont I owe them a retirement?
This is Jade and her French Maran chicks she hatched from shipped eggs a few weeks ago.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
After 50 some years of chickens there are definitely quite a few characters that I will never forget. There was Asa in the 70s that was head hen and kind of a bully to everybody else. Not a friendly girl but I respected her for her spunk and independence. Then one day when she was raising a batch of chicks Loud alarm noises made me look out the window and a fox had come for dinner and Asa was standing up to him making the loudest racket a chicken ever made. Not another member of the flock was in sight, she was on her own. Puffed up to twice her normal size, She would fly in his face and claw and flog him like the Tasmanian devil and Mr Fox seems quite confused and stunned at this chickens ferocity. It gave me time to get out the door with my 22 and settle the matter.
Another was my bantam old English game rooster Rocky. He would crow during the night when something was disturbing. Even the lights from my truck when I got home from work after 11pm would make him crow. Then one night he was crowing a 3am. I went to investigate and a weasel had killed 5 birds. Caught the weasel the nest night in a live trap. His crowing saved himself and the other survivors..
Our second memorable OEG Game bantam Rooster who looked exactly like Rocky Was Rocket. My daughters favorite rooster. She would carry him around constantly and he enjoyed it and would follow her until she picked him up. One day he was frantically clucking for a hen to come get a tidbit that he had found and they seemed disinterested so My Daughter age about 6 at the time, walked over and discovered he had found a 1928 liberty dime for her in the dirt.
Then there was Balckie (Guess what color she was) who only wanted to hatch Guinea eggs. Probably hatching guineas for me for 7 years straight. She would mother those Keets until they were 3 and 4 months old and going there own way. She would run after them clucking and they would eventually leave her behind, very forlorn.
My daughter when she was 10 once went to the rescue of her favorite rooster and reached in to grab him out of the thick brush and instead came out with a redtail hawk in her hands.
Here is the article that was in the paper.
https://mynorth.com/2013/09/northern-michigan-10-yr-old-saves-her-chickens-from-hawk/
5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
The funniest chicken story I have is when I had to rush my speckled Sussex hen SPOT to the vet on a Saturday morning unexpectedly. Here is the thread I wrote with the whole story.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hurry-my-chicken-has-to-go-to-the-vet.1263277/
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
Besides chickens and guineas we have the 3 guardian dogs and a tropical fish tank. I always have Tomato plants in my garden each summer.
This is my tomato plants now and Miki, (cattle dog/ Border collie mix)
Also a small pumpkin patch where I grow mini Gourds and decorative Pumpkins, and make quite a profit when I sell every single one of them at the local Markets in the fall.
7. Anything you'd like to add?
I love Orchids in the house and if none of my collection are in bloom I have to go buy one that is.
You can't beat a flower that lasts for months! This one Bloomed for 3 months last winter.
I also have the usual houseplants like spider plant, Christmas and Easter Cactus and a more rare Night blooming Cereus or “Queen of the Night”.
I also like to Crochet and Knit and I love to cook and bake.
We just had this recently, pan of lasagna and herb dinner rolls. Yumm!
I work in Banking and can work from home half the time which is very nice. A direct result and silver linings of the dark cloud which is Covid19.
This is the Orchid at my home work desk. Notice my Calendar...
Thanks for reading my interview, and GOD Bless!
@50-45-1
For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602
For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602
)!
but in my case I've been surprised by how few people notice! Out of all the trips to and from the vet with a hen or two, only four people have ever noticed.
