The Farmers' Daughter
Come say hello to @The Farmers' Daughter! Michelle has been a member since August 2017 and comes to us from Alberta, Canada.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
Hi everybody. My name is Michelle. My maiden name is Farmer, and I married a Brown, so my last name is Farmer-Brown. Hence my user name.
Although born and raised in a big city (Toronto), I've always been a country/small town girl at heart. After moving around lots (including time in WA & OH), I've finally found my forever home on 99 acres in rural Alberta.
Although I've got a BA (English Lit) & a diploma (TV Broadcasting), I work part-time in a small town hardware store. I've had many different jobs over the years, including kennel maid, drive away truck driver and cook, my "career" was in radio. I did something called traffic, which is not reporting traffic, but scheduling and maintaining the commercial inventory.
2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens?
My neighbour texted me one day and said that she was getting chickens for $1 each and asked me if I wanted any. I told her I'd take a dozen. No coop, no anything. Little did I know that they were ex battery hens (leghorns). Thanks to BYC I learned really quickly about what I needed to do. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't fond of these girls. They were flighty & mean. I started researching breeds and settled on buckeyes. I got 3 hens and the leghorns pecked the crap out of them. So, I got a buckeye roo. I became a strong supporter of having roos after adding this guy. He kept the peace and all of the open wounds on the poor girls cleared up. After a few months I was having frostbite problems with the leghorns. Again, thanks to BYC, a member named Chickens Really helped rehome them.
I've added chanteclers to my breeds. Currently I have white, but have a dozen partridge eggs in the incubator right now. I'll also be adding brabanters at the end of May, thanks to the recommendation of honanbm. Fingers crossed, I'll be adding bantam buckeyes in the fall.
3. Which aspect(s) of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
Like most chicken owners, it's got to be their personalities. Every time I hear a rooster crow it warms my heart and makes me smile.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
There are 2 in particular that stand out.
Sebastien was my first chantecler roo. I had decided that I wanted to raise chanteclers, and was at a poultry show. A breeder had a trio up for auction. After talking to her, she let me have them at the current highest bid. While I was talking with her I was holding the roo, and he actually fell asleep in my arms. He was a kind, gentle soul, who took fantastic care of his girls. Sadly, he got bumblefoot up under his nail beds where I coudn't get at it.
Hoppy, was a chantecler hen. She had very poor eyesight resulting in her hopping to try to get a good look at things. Every time she saw me she would start hopping up and down for attention. I lost her at the end of last summer.
5. What was the funniest poultry related thing(s) that happened to you in your years as an owner?
Buddy, my original buckeye roo, did not crow for several months after I got him. My spouse tried crowing at him in an effort to teach him. It must have been quite a convincing crow, because Buddy came running over in full on rooster attack mode.
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
I have 2 kiko boer cross goats, 2 cats and a karakachan dog, Bingo. Kiki wanted me to name him puck, so if you ever run into us talking about Pucker, that's him. I have to say, he's the best dog I've ever had.
7. Anything you'd like to add?
Just a huge thank you to everyone I've met on BYC. I've learned so so much and have made some truly wonderful friends.
Buddy, my 1st Buckeye roo
Buddy with my original girls
Sebastien & my original 2 chantecler girls.
Sebastien
Bingo, aka Puck
@The Farmers' Daughter
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
all the pics. Thanks for sharing! 
