BYC Member Interview - muddy75

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@muddy75

Come say hello to @muddy75! She's been a member since August 2018 and comes to us from Indiana.​


1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. And is there a story behind your member name?
I grew up on a small family farm in central Kentucky. I met and married Mr Muddy while in college at Murray State. We have 3 boys and own/operate a small dental practice in Southern Indiana. We’ve always been outdoorsy people….camping, off-roading, motorcycling, hunting, fishing, etc and that’s how I got my username.
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2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens (or other poultry you have)?
We first decided to get chickens in Summer 2018 while remodeling our backyard so that we could have fresh meat and eggs. I found and joined BYC soon after. My first chickens were 3 RIR and 3 BA but chicken math soon set in and I ordered 15 silkie chicks (because I just had to have them 😂) and added 6 EE chicks because I wanted pretty color eggs! We also brought home 3 BB poults to raise for Thanksgiving.
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As if I didn’t already have enough chickens, I joined the Halloween HAL and started incubating!! I hatched a few more before mine had even started laying 😂
Now I was definitely hooked and for Thanksgiving, I hatched my first coturnix quail. After Christmas, I hatched more quail. The following spring we decided to build the aviary and I added ringneck pheasant chicks.

We made the decision to downsize our chickens after building the aviary. And that’s how I ended up where I’m at today.
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Currently, I have approximately 40 coturnix quail, 1 Pekin duck, and a Quad of ringneck pheasant in the aviary. For the EHAL, I am hatching call ducks, ringneck pheasant, and Coturnix eggs.


3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
I love the self-sufficiency aspect of having access to fresh meat and eggs
but the most enjoyment comes from the endless entertainment they offer! It also allows me a relaxing escape from the real world of our business without having to leave my backyard.


4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
My silkie hens Splash, Baby Girl, and Elvira
Elvira would actually roost on top of the coop with the big girls
Splash and Baby Girl co-brooded several quail eggs
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The Wonder Twins —-2 BOxsilkie cross that I hatched
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Gimpy—-one of my original ringneck cockbirds that escaped and wandered the neighborhood multiple times before returning to the aviary
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MoMo - my quail hen with a perpetual mohawk
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Squeakers —quail roo that talks to me when I’m in the aviary
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S’mores—quail hen with seasonal color changing patterns
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5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
One of the funniest things is the quail crowing in the background when we are doing karaoke on the deck in the backyard.

Another funny thing happened just this week. I collected all my eggs from the weekend (5 pheasant, 3 duck, and 2 quail) and set them by the gate in my empty treat bucket while completing my chores. When I finished, the duck had helped herself and eaten all but 1 pheasant egg and her duck eggs :th


6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
We have 3 dogs that are our only “indoor” pets at the moment
TATER English Bulldog age 6
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ZOOKIE mountain feist age 8
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BLAZER mountain feist age 8
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I have a pond with 4 Koi
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We also have a breeding pair of NZ white rabbits
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Inside my aviary, we built the sub-aviary that houses my 1 remaining button quail, 3 Guinea pigs, and my ever-growing flock of budgies. (I started with 3 and now have over 2 dozen)
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7. Anything you'd like to add?
I’m so happy I found BYC. I’ve made so many wonderful friends who have helped me along my journey!




@muddy75

For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602​
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It's a pleasure to read your introduction @muddy75
You have been on quite the adventure since you started raising chickens. Love all the photos. Your set up looks pretty cool.
 

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