BYC Member Interview - Melky

[N F C]

@Melky ​

Come say hello to @Melky. She has been a member since July 2018 and comes to us from the Kentucky.

1. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
Hello: I am a happily married 50 plus year old transplant Kentuckian from Cincinnati, Ohio who worked as a RN/APRN for many years. NICU and Pediatric Primary Care was my focus. I truly enjoyed caring for others. Kids are just wonderful. I also ran a doggie daycare/board for several years now closed and looking towards semi-retirement. I do miss my clients but it was time. I truly appreciated them and found such joy in caring for them.
I have three adult children, 2 males, and 1 female. His and hers. My daughter is my biological child.
I love animals, cooking, traveling, gardening, kayaking, paddling, biking, and reading. I have enjoyed a bit of writing as well. I published on vaccination strategies in pediatrics and now write on BYC for enjoyment. As I grew older and the kids are gone it was quiet here and thought a dog for myself would be good company. My dad having owned and bred for our own pleasure beagle pups when I was little developed my affinity for animals.

So Chloe became my best friend my Papitese. Fortunately, Chloe enjoys my past times as well. She loves going on the nearby lakes with me. We are frequently on Doe Run Lake in nice weather. I have raised garden beds in my back yard designed to resist weather for growing fresh organic food. I am pretty good at lettuces, arugula, zucchini, cucumbers, herbs, ok at tomatoes, even grew a few gourmet potatoes one year, asparagus, peppers, occasionally sugar baby melons etc. I do square foot gardening in my beds and learned to blend herbs in my landscaping in an attractive design. Edibles in the landscaping are wonderful!

My husband enjoys growing fruit, citrus, and hydroponics. I even have my own bay leaf tree a must for soups/stews. Our oldest son Pat has his own home now and it is enjoyable to see that he now has raised beds teaching the art of gardening to our two young grandchildren. They have visited and enjoy our family of pets as well. I moved into composting once realized the savings on fertilizers and how much it boosts your garden. Plus you really have to find a use for your poultry litter, it’s the best nitrogen boost you can give your plants and it is free.

2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens?
I started keeping poultry several years ago for a fresh organic life. My husband said I could not have any more pets unless they fed us so here we are...It is so much fun to have chickens for pets. The eggs are great too! It is like Christmas every time I go in and find eggs. There is just some sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to grow your own food. Self-sufficiency is important and you cannot beat the flavor of fresh organic food. My aunt had a farm when I was little in Indiana and loved to visit to spend time with family and her animals. I always wanted to have more land but locked here, as my husband is a physician who has to stay close by our hospital here for call duties. When he retires we are free to move around but his feet are firmly planted in Kentucky his home since birth. I truly enjoy my hens. They are so much fun to watch and enjoy time with.

3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
I love my hens as pets and love photographing them. I enjoyed raising a flock from day one. Baby chicks are the most fun and you grow so attached to them. I most like to find the funny little quirks about each hen’s personality and the relationship they forge with each other.

4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
My current girls Raven and Remy are so close together. I acquired them from a farm in Versailles, IN as started pullets. These girls are like sisters. They eat, hangout, and sleep together. They are inseparable; the bond they share is so evident. Raven is the oldest by a month. I know it is natural to roost together but these two share a box together and I just let them because they enjoy cuddling together to sleep. Raven is like Hedy a greeter and enjoys human interaction and Remy is a chicken when humans are around and will avoid you. She is used to me but not anyone else except Chloe of course.

I also miss Hedy so much a Speckled Sussex in former flock that died in wildlife flock kill here. Now we have padlocks on our poultry house/run. Hedy was such a good greeter and always willing to cuddle. She used to steal jalapenos from my hand. Hedy brought so much joy to my flock. Chloe my dog since Hedy was a baby chick used to tap at the box brooder we made and Hedy would answer with a peck on the other side. It made Chloe peek in and they were like best friends. Hedy was always the first to greet even on arrival day one. My daughter Cassie also had a special bond with Hedy. She was just so social. Hedy was the first to accomplish my chicken brooder swing and is in my article in a video. I love using my own photographs for my BYC articles.

Josephina stood out in my first flock a Barred Rock because she was the flock leader and behaved much like a rooster would guard its flock. If a hawk circled overhead Josephina would sound the alarm and everyone would run back to the coop/run for protection. Josephina would be the last one in making sure everyone arrived safely. She chased Chloe around the greenhouse and up the deck twice to protect her flock when older. Chloe liked to free range with them in the backyard.

5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
The day Hedy grabbed my wedding ring and would not let go. I raised my hand and Hedy was attached while no longer feet planted on the ground. They say diamonds are a girls best friend. So had to hide rings from Hedy. She likes shiny objects. That was the most fun besides when Josephina chased Chloe around the greenhouse and up the deck when she became too much a part of the flock.

6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
I just have my dog Chloe, a Papitese. She is so good with animals. She loves my daughters guinea pig Toby and Mini Schnauzer Grace. They play together. Chloe loves hanging out with the hens and guards them well. She is on an invisible fence with her own pup door to house. Had to be careful when I free ranged old flock in yard because Josephina my Barred Rock would want to hop up the deck too. Funny! I am currently investigating the options of owning a few ducks. I just love them and the eggs I am sure would be fabulous in cooking.

7. Anything you'd like to add?
I have enjoyed my time on BYC here and hope to enjoy many more years. I feel I have made tremendous friends who are so helpful when I need a hand and supportive. I have found a love for article writing. So check out the articles and reviews of everyone on BYC. I truly enjoy them and find them so helpful! In addition, I have found time to visit Meyer Hatchery where my first flock came from as day one chicks. Hatchery tours are such a learning opportunity. Take one if you have time. I was able to meet Lisa Steele, obtain one of her many books, and autograph. So thrilled! If had more time would have loved a picture with. I love her book Fresh Eggs Daily because it focused on organics and the many uses in your garden as it relates to owning poultry from nutrition to health. I also have had the opportunity to connect with a freelance writer and have been interviewed to appear in several articles in Chickens Magazine to support and nourish the love of owning poultry from a backyard hobbyist perspective enjoying a fresh organic life! Hope others enjoy it as well. Get out there and get involved. The world loves to hear from you and your vast experiences regarding food to table. Next issue with me is March/April Edition of Chickens Magazine come Talk the Talk with me and Walk the Walk of poultry ownership. The title is Checkin Out Chicks.

Here are some attached photos. Its a true joy to raise them from baby chicks but love getting started pullets as well because it is so much quicker to get eggs of course. Attached are photos from hatch to adulthood of my hens. Love and named them all! Of course you will see my daughter Cassie holding Hedy the trapeze artist on my diy brooder swing. I made everything for my brooder including roosting bar and swing. I revised housing as they got older of course. I love making products from my husband's leftover wood in his wood shop. Free is good! You also can't beat the eggs. Love you guys and stay warm.

@Melky

For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602​

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Very nice interview, Melky! Nice to get to know some about you. Love the pictures

 

[ronott1]

Thanks for the interview!

 

[DobieLover]

Great interview! Thanks for sharing more about yourself.
Love that last picture!

 

[MaryJanet]

Hi Melky! Great interview, very interesting.

 

[rjohns39]

Wonderful interview @Melky Good to know you better.

 

[sourland]

Hi, Melky, and thanks for sharing your story.

 

[N F C]

@Melky thank you for sharing your story with us! It's nice to get to know you better

 

[Isaac 0]

Great interview @Melky !

 

[Melky]

Thanks to all of you my many friends and family who support us. Glad you enjoyed the interview. I am truly honored to be with such great company.