Come say hello to @HomesteaderWife! She has been a member since April 2015 and comes to us from Alabama.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. And is there a story behind your member name?
My husband and I began working on our "homestead" before we were even wed, with a goal in mind to be as self-sufficient over the years as we could and doing things for ourselves. We've had our share of struggles, but I wouldn't have life any other way! My member name came from that - building "Wolf Branch Homestead" with my husband - not a farm, not just a property, but a home we'd build on our own.
2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens? (or any other poultry you have)
Growing up, my Grandma always kept a large flock of chickens, and one of my favorite things to do was help with them when I was at her house. My cousin and I would help collect eggs for her, and I always felt like there was something just plain different and special about eggs from your own birds (especially when baked goods made with her eggs would win at the fair!)
So after we were married, we talked about getting some chicks and raising them, and my husband agreed as long as we could get ducks! So we had a small group of mixed breed chicks and two female Khaki Campbells to start. Over the years, we've slowly worked our way to trying to get strictly into raising Khakis, but we just so happened to end up with a few rescued hens along the way (like Wally the parking lot chicken!)
Wally the Parking Lot Rescue
3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
Chickens and ducks are just plain fun to have - I would say the eggs, but the girls do not lay for us in their advanced age, so I say that their character makes it enjoyable. Forming a bond with a bird and really enjoying their company and their antics! When I find a very willing and intelligent member of the flock, I really enoy clicker training them to do fun things.
Chicken Hawk AKA "Hawk" the Hen
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
I've loved all my birds so much over the years, but a few are so special to me. Big Red was a Rhode Island Red hen who acted like a puppy - I've never had a more loving, sociable flock member to this day. She absolutely adored attention, pets, following you around, and just being with you.
Wally the rescue hen has such a "rags to riches" type of story that makes her unique to me - I had just remarked to my husband a few days prior that I'd never had a true rescue situation the way some of my Grandmother's animals came to her. Sure enough, here's this hen hiding under vehicles in a busy parking lot in the middle of the city! What a character she became, and very grateful for her new life.
Tater and Tot were our two Khaki Campbell ducklings, and though Tot passed last year, this pair together was super special. I clicker trained them and taught them to ring a little bell, and to put themselves in the coop without fuss. Hand raising them was such a joy! When Tot passed, Tater was very lonely as expected - exactly one week later, there was Wally in need of care. Her and Tater eventually became the best of friends!
Tater the Khaki Campbell Duck
5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
Every time I take a video of them in slow-motion, I bust a gut! Whether it has been a hen clucking after laying an egg that sounds like a dinosaur in slow-mo, or watching them eat and scratch in the dirt. It's just too funny!
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
We have two dogs. And continuing the rescue trend, we had a very pregnant feral cat (who we named Pizza) show up a few months ago - we were able to work with her, find loving homes for her little ones, and she's since been spayed and lives here with her daughter (Mozzarella). Formerly feral cats can be amazing - the both of them take walks on a harness and leash! We've kept goats and rabbits in the past, and our next big goal is to get ready for starting a young oxen and training it.
Mozzarella the Kitten
7. Anything you'd like to add?
I've really enjoyed BackYard Chickens over the years, and I am so grateful for this community. I'm very honored to introduce myself to you all, and just want to say thank you for the responses you all give. I've helped quite a few flock members because of the quick responses and past articles of others, and that means a lot.
In our spare time, we enjoy things like running our sawmill, and in Winter we pick up unwated hides from processors and tan them to make cool crafts with. We occasionally make YouTube videos that show fun happenings, our flock, and so on. Here and there I write online blog posts for Mother Earth News. I even wrote a piece back in 2017 to introduce people to BackYard Chickens!
Thank you again for having me, I look forward to speaking more with you all, and being a part of BYC for years to come!
Cutting Black Walnut on our Sawmill
Enjoying our Wildlife - 3 Young Raccoons in a Tree on the Trail
@HomesteaderWife
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
Mozzarella the kitten is adorable.
