Checking-In On Peeps - Post Here To Say Hello!

[Henora]

Just checking in with our update. We've had chickens for nearly 10 years now. Our flock is primarily Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, and Golden-laced Wyandotte.

Last summer we built 8 8'x32' chicken paddocks attached to the coop (enabling rotation for plant recovery). We are now in the process of seeding the paddocks with a very wide variety of perennial plants (alfalfa, anise hyssop, birdsfoot trefoil, Russian comfrey, white clover, dandelions, echinacea, red fescue, tall fescue, Good King Henry spinach, oregano, broadleaf plantain, narrowleaf plantain, rye grass, sage, sea kale, thyme, timothy grass). I am looking forward to all that sprouting up for the chickens to graze and reducing our chicken feed costs somewhat.

The last paddock is a double-wide and we planted only really tall grasses there (3'-4' tall). The plan is to keep the grasses tall so when the chicken have access to that paddock all we will see is the grass wavering as they move about. We are calling it the Velociraptor paddock.

Because of the paddocks, last fall we were finally able to "grow our own" chickens with hens brooding and hatching chicks. Our flock is up to over 50 birds now, so we need to cull it a good bit to get it back to our optimal # given our facilities (<30). We've had to learn how to inspect the hens to see which ones are laying.

We still enjoy having the chickens a lot ... and love the fresh eggs!

The paddocks sound really interesting. How did you decide on the size for each paddock and how many you'd need? Will the entire flock go in a single paddock at a time?

 

[Michelle_my_bell]

We have such a vibrant community here at BYC... tons of active friendly members. Of course, life gets busy, so I was thinking it would be fun to start a thread welcoming some of our peeps we haven't heard from in a while.

If that's you, come say hello and let us know what you've been up to.

(if that's not you, feel free to invite peeps you haven't seen in a while and say hi to those that post here)

Busy building the boys a new house <3

 

[Kchopkinson]

We have such a vibrant community here at BYC... tons of active friendly members. Of course, life gets busy, so I was thinking it would be fun to start a thread welcoming some of our peeps we haven't heard from in a while.

If that's you, come say hello and let us know what you've been up to.

(if that's not you, feel free to invite peeps you haven't seen in a while and say hi to those that post here)

Hiya
Yes you are right life happens . I'm still around lol thanks for the check in . Hope everyone has a good weekend

 

[Kiki]

Hey!
My Ameraucanas, langshans & leghorns are now adults! I have one langshan that is broody and no matter how much I kick her off the nest she wants to sit. We are doing good though! My photo is a pile of said chickens trying to all get in my lap for pets at once.

Get her some day old chicks! Just a few should break her from being broody.

 

[Henora]

I keep chickens pretty differently from others, so I am usually only on here scouring for obscure medical cases or breed conversations. I don't typically have much to add since my experiences are increasingly estranged from general chook keeping. But I lurk from time to time!

Away from here I've just got my 3 office chickens helping keep me sane while running my business haha.

Trying to guess how differently...are they indoor house pet chickens?

 

[Leslv]

It’s all good here! I got 4 new chicks 8 weeks ago. Two Barred Rocks and two Blue Australorps. They are just getting their taste of the big girls. That makes 14 in total for me.

 

[Goldie13]

I've been good just really busy with life

 

[Kiki]

Hi! I’ve been working a great new job, and it’s kept me BUSY.
Due to the numerous cautionary replies to my post about bringing my ducks to my lake with the Bald Eagles and their nest, I have my three drakes living at my old house, and being well taken care of by my good friend - who is always communicating their needs(food, bedding, etc) They are, as I’m sure everyone here can relate to, ALWAYS on my mind, and I look forward to every weekend, when I get to go bring them treats and dice tomatoes for them, and bring whatever it is they need to stock up on.
They are healthy, and happy - and so am I !
Thanks for the check in!

Do the boys have names?

 

[lateforbrekkie]

About a year or so ago someone stole all of my chickens except for 3 special needs birds I had in a separate run and coop. Pepper Ann was one of my special needs girls, but she's fine now and became very broody. So I let her sit on some plastic ducks until I could find her some children. She's raising 4 Americauna chicks now.

 

[William Mellor15]

I'm still here, tho haven't popped in for a good while now. Still got my chickens, though my love for chickens has expanded into a love for wildlife and aquatic species, currently building and expanding my fish tank selection.

Pic of a tank i built only from materials i found in a creek