- Jun 28, 2011
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Jess, known to BYC members as Auroradream26, has been a member of our community since May, 2013. Another of our wonderful all rounders, she is known for her friendliness and good advice.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. (Family, hobbies, whatever personal stuff you feel like sharing)
I’m a stay at home mom to a 13 year old boy (Brendon) and a 12 year old girl (Katelyn). I married my high school sweetheart and we had our kids early in life. I enjoy reading books, sewing, singing with the church choir, and a good video game in my spare time. Generally, I play chauffeur for my kids to all their events whether it be band, chorus, a school dance, girl scouts, or piano lessons. I’m the designated schedule keeper, planner, referee and organizer around here! My birds are my biggest hobby though. I’m always breeding and hatching, making chicken/turkey saddles and going to swaps.
My Husband, Rob
Katelyn, My daughter
And my son, Brendon
2. Why and when did you start keeping poultry?
About 6 years ago, we finally managed to move out of our tiny little house in the middle of the city to a house in the country with a little over an acre. We always ate a ton of eggs and one of the requirements for our new house was that we could have our own chickens for eggs. So, a year after we moved in, I made sure we were there at tractor supply on day 1 of chick days to bring home our first flock. From there, chicken math kicked in and the rest is history!
3. Which aspect(s) of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
Turkeys! I am over the moon in love with my turkeys and never knew how social and affectionate they are. I spend way longer than I intend to every single night when I go out to close the coops up, just getting hugs and saying goodnight to them and there’s nothing better in the summer than sitting out in the sun with a turkey just lounging on my lap. It’s always so hard to pull myself away! Hatching poults and chicks every week is always a special joy too. It’s like Christmas morning when I look in the incubator to see new babies stumbling around and learning how to walk. I love a little imprinted baby snuggling up on my shoulder or in my hair and watching them grow.
Eve has always loved a good shoulder, chest, lap, whatever
Romeo, meeting the girl scout troop and Cuddles getting the hugs she demands every night.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
I have several but my most memorable is Maple, an easter egger from tractor supply. We always joked that she was half meaty because she was so fat! As a chick, she was always head first in to the meal worms container if I got it out. As an adult, she loved to sleep on my lap in the sun and come running for protection if a boy was chasing her down. She hated the boys! She never really laid well but she had a lifetime pass anyway. She recently passed away at 5 years old and has the honor of being buried in the backyard.
5. What was the funniest (poultry related) thing(s) that happened to you in your years as poultry owner?
There are so many! The day I came home and found my favorite hen, Maple, stuck under the food dish since she flipped it on top of herself, trying to get the last bite. My best friend falling in love with a pullet that spent a good hour on her shoulder. She threatened to steal her and take her home so the pullet promptly pooped on her, then ran back to the flock. And just earlier today, I was looking out the window to check on the kids playing in the snow and saw Lollipop, one of our geese trying to bathe and swim in the snow as my daughter threw armfuls of snow on his back. The best one though, we weren’t even here to experience but I can visualize it so well! My mom and my aunt spent the weekend at our house to animal sit while we went to the beach for a few days. My mom is in her mid 50’s and my aunt, early 60’s and neither one has any experience with poultry. My turkey hens tend to be mischievous and like to escape their pen but can’t (or wont) get back in. Apparently, the two of them trying to catch the turkeys in the evening was quite the show and resulted in my mom running all over the yard chasing turkeys while my aunt was laughing too much to help! If only we could’ve seen that one!
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
We have a cat named Monro, who is certain he’s a dog, a bulldog mix named Sparkles, and a rabbit named Oreo. In recent years, we said farewell to our older dogs Rocky (terrier mix) and Dreamy (Siberian Husky).
Sparkles, Rocky, and Dreamy
Monro trying to steal Sparkles' food
Oreo
7. Anything you'd like to add?
The members of BYC have become almost like a second family to me. They are always here to talk, help, or just be silly with! They all understand the obsession that most “normal” people just don’t get!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/members/auroradream26.212762/
See here for more about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/905602/introducing-vip-member-interviews/0_30
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. (Family, hobbies, whatever personal stuff you feel like sharing)
I’m a stay at home mom to a 13 year old boy (Brendon) and a 12 year old girl (Katelyn). I married my high school sweetheart and we had our kids early in life. I enjoy reading books, sewing, singing with the church choir, and a good video game in my spare time. Generally, I play chauffeur for my kids to all their events whether it be band, chorus, a school dance, girl scouts, or piano lessons. I’m the designated schedule keeper, planner, referee and organizer around here! My birds are my biggest hobby though. I’m always breeding and hatching, making chicken/turkey saddles and going to swaps.
My Husband, Rob
Katelyn, My daughter
And my son, Brendon
2. Why and when did you start keeping poultry?
About 6 years ago, we finally managed to move out of our tiny little house in the middle of the city to a house in the country with a little over an acre. We always ate a ton of eggs and one of the requirements for our new house was that we could have our own chickens for eggs. So, a year after we moved in, I made sure we were there at tractor supply on day 1 of chick days to bring home our first flock. From there, chicken math kicked in and the rest is history!
3. Which aspect(s) of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
Turkeys! I am over the moon in love with my turkeys and never knew how social and affectionate they are. I spend way longer than I intend to every single night when I go out to close the coops up, just getting hugs and saying goodnight to them and there’s nothing better in the summer than sitting out in the sun with a turkey just lounging on my lap. It’s always so hard to pull myself away! Hatching poults and chicks every week is always a special joy too. It’s like Christmas morning when I look in the incubator to see new babies stumbling around and learning how to walk. I love a little imprinted baby snuggling up on my shoulder or in my hair and watching them grow.
Eve has always loved a good shoulder, chest, lap, whatever
Romeo, meeting the girl scout troop and Cuddles getting the hugs she demands every night.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
I have several but my most memorable is Maple, an easter egger from tractor supply. We always joked that she was half meaty because she was so fat! As a chick, she was always head first in to the meal worms container if I got it out. As an adult, she loved to sleep on my lap in the sun and come running for protection if a boy was chasing her down. She hated the boys! She never really laid well but she had a lifetime pass anyway. She recently passed away at 5 years old and has the honor of being buried in the backyard.
5. What was the funniest (poultry related) thing(s) that happened to you in your years as poultry owner?
There are so many! The day I came home and found my favorite hen, Maple, stuck under the food dish since she flipped it on top of herself, trying to get the last bite. My best friend falling in love with a pullet that spent a good hour on her shoulder. She threatened to steal her and take her home so the pullet promptly pooped on her, then ran back to the flock. And just earlier today, I was looking out the window to check on the kids playing in the snow and saw Lollipop, one of our geese trying to bathe and swim in the snow as my daughter threw armfuls of snow on his back. The best one though, we weren’t even here to experience but I can visualize it so well! My mom and my aunt spent the weekend at our house to animal sit while we went to the beach for a few days. My mom is in her mid 50’s and my aunt, early 60’s and neither one has any experience with poultry. My turkey hens tend to be mischievous and like to escape their pen but can’t (or wont) get back in. Apparently, the two of them trying to catch the turkeys in the evening was quite the show and resulted in my mom running all over the yard chasing turkeys while my aunt was laughing too much to help! If only we could’ve seen that one!
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
We have a cat named Monro, who is certain he’s a dog, a bulldog mix named Sparkles, and a rabbit named Oreo. In recent years, we said farewell to our older dogs Rocky (terrier mix) and Dreamy (Siberian Husky).
Sparkles, Rocky, and Dreamy
Monro trying to steal Sparkles' food
Oreo
7. Anything you'd like to add?
The members of BYC have become almost like a second family to me. They are always here to talk, help, or just be silly with! They all understand the obsession that most “normal” people just don’t get!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/members/auroradream26.212762/
See here for more about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/905602/introducing-vip-member-interviews/0_30
So nice to learn more about you! Love the photos and stories, thanks for sharing.
