@BirdsBeesTrees
Come say hello to BirdsBeesTrees! She's been a member since March 2019 and comes to us from Iowa.
Come say hello to BirdsBeesTrees! She's been a member since March 2019 and comes to us from Iowa.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. And is there a story behind your member name?
I am an honest, conservative, generous person. The word I think describes me best is integrity. I love lists and journal almost everything. I'm quick to smile, encourage others, and to be helpful. People I've just met will tell me their life stories or deepest secrets.
My boys and husband are who I make time for and are my whole life.
My husband and I own and operate a non-confinement grass based dairy farm.
I've been homeschooling my boys since 2013. My oldest is now attending Liberty University in Virginia and on the Dean's list. My other 2 boys are in 11th and 7th grades.
I like to garden, preserve & process food, scrapbook, read, sew, craft, bake, keep bees and go fishing.
I like birds, I'm a beekeeper, and I love trees especially my orchard trees. So, I decided on the username BirdsBeesTrees.
2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens? (or any other poultry you have)
When I was 9 years old my family moved to the country. The previous owners just left their chickens, and my dad picked up more chicks at Murray McMurrey. It was my responsibility to take care of them with my younger brother.
My dad also taught me some basics on how to incubate and how to process chickens for food.
After getting married I got a couple mixed ducklings, even though we lived in town, but they ended up getting killed by raccoons.
We moved to the dairy farm and in 2007 I got 15 Black Australorps.
3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
My favorite part of poultry keeping is incubating and hatching eggs. I first started incubating myself in 2008. I learned things about hatching the hard way, it definitely takes some skills. My very first time incubating I had twins hatch from a single egg and had no idea how it happened. I accused my husband of playing a trick on me!
It's never happened again unfortunately.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
We had a mixed breed rooster who was famous! He was on a FarmAid YouTube video in 2009, and they played the video at the FarmAid concert. He lived for 12 years and was a very good rooster in every way.
For the most part I let my chickens have their space and don't coddle or usually name my birds. So, I find it interesting that I have a couple chickens that come to me wanting extra attention; a Black Mottled Bantam Cochin named Sweetie and a Blue Maran Rooster named Blue.
5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
I've had a Bantam Cochin Rooster who didn't pay attention to hens his own size but was in love with my turkey hens...
I have a Bielefelder Rooster who spends a couple hours a day outside the peafowl pen "visiting" because he was raised with 3 peachicks.
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
We have around 100 Dairy cows, Hereford beef cows and bulls, 3 Mulefoot pigs, a chinchilla, rabbit, Great Pyrenees, Cocker Spaniel, Rat Terrier and lots of cats. (milk and cats go together...)
7. Anything you'd like to add?
The birds I have: White and Pied Peafowl, Jumbo Coturnix Quail, Call Ducks, Cochin Bantam Chickens, American Buff Geese, and many breeds of purebred Standard Chickens.
I'd also like to add that I really appreciate Backyard Chickens. The contests and hatch-a-longs are fun to join in on and gives me something to look forward to each day.
What has meant the most to me though, is being in a community of people who care about the same things that I do. You really feel like you belong and are being heard and are valued.
I've gotten advice, help, and even encouragement here, and I hope I've given some of that here as well. It might not all be about chickens, but I'm glad we're all here.
@BirdsBeesTrees
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
