Chicken (Poultry) Addiction Anonymous *Chat Thread*

[Muggsmagee]

I just noticed...today is my one year anniversary for signing up on BYC! I have no idea what my life used to be like before this!

 

[equinehugger3]

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Well, everybody has different experiences...I ordered my first SF's from McMurray. Hatchery birds are fine for the backyard...but aren't best for showing...other than 4-H. One of the girls had only 4 toes instead of 5, one rooster had color leakage. My suggestion would be to see if there are fellow BYCers with SF's. I recall there is a thread dedicated to SF's. Let me look and I'll post back here. Look at the BYCers personal pages, websites, and try to find a quality breeder. ALWAYS ask where people got there birds. Most BYCers are here to help one another.

Edited to add...

Here is the thread for Faverolles. Hope this helps.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=268082

Cool, thanks for the link! It would be cool to show (I've never actually showed!

), but that's not my top priority. Thanks! I will be back; I'm gonna go check that out now

Should I look in auctions? Or should I post a topic under wanted?

 

[IdealisticRoo]

One of my silkies, a partridge female has 4 toes on 1 foot and 5 on the other foot! That is what to expect from a hatchery bird, I guess. Of course I would prefer she was perfect, but I figure I never would have gotten an assortment like this and certainly not at the price (about $1 a bird), so I figure hatcheries do play an important part in the life of a "chicken-holic"!

It's kinda like dogs, the mutts and the runts often turn out to be the best! While I admire pure breeds and respect those who have them, I do not have the facilities or the money at this point for pure-breeds.

I am so happy with how things are right now! I have 7 of the prettiest, friendliest adult chickens, 22 of the funniest, most comical juveniles, 26 of cutest babies who are just entering the flighty awkward stage where they resemble a porcupine on drugs more than a chicken and A LOT of eggs in the incubator. Kind of afraid to count them, but I THINK there are between 80 and 100!

I love my addiction!

 

[Muggsmagee]

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You are catching up to me! Wait till they are all adults!

It is wonderful and overwhelming.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Happy BYC Anniversary, Mugsmagee!

 

[farmgirl1995]

Hi I'm farmgirl1995 and I'm addicted to chickens. I've had them almost my whole life but the real obsession started when we bought 32 acres in Georgia. We got them every year from the feed store until I discovered hatcheries. For at least 3 years I dreamed about ordering from McMurray Hatchery. I made lists and plans for coops...it was crazy.

Then this past summer I managed to convince my mother to let me order from McMurray and as long as we didnt tell my dad it was gonna be ok. So dad and I built this adorable bohamian looking coop for the two barred rock pullets from the feed store. But no less than 3 days later we had gone back and bought 2 ee pullets. Once the chicks had feathered out we put them in their nice little home Dad said more chickens!!!

but mom and I ordered 25 chicks from McMurray. We finally told my dad and he was fine with it(after some arguing of course)

Cause we had said we'd sell some but of course we all knew that I could never do that.


.......One month later we had bought 55 more chicks from McMurray coming to a total of 84 chickens.

Since then the flock has dwindled down to around to 20-30 due to predator problems. So now that I've discovered Ideal and I built two incubators.....

the lists are starting again and ive already been promised lots of chickens. Life is good

 

[Muggsmagee]

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Cool, thanks for the link! It would be cool to show (I've never actually showed!

), but that's not my top priority. Thanks! I will be back; I'm gonna go check that out now

Should I look in auctions? Or should I post a topic under wanted?

Of course they are a possibility, though you don't have to go the route of auctions. I have ordered from Kelar...on 2 separate occasions she sent perfect little silkie eggs and was a pleasure to deal with...was patient with me and answered all of my newbie questions! However, post on the Faverolle thread that you are interested in either local pickup or shipped hatching eggs. Most often you will find someone who will ask that you pay for shipping (about $15 for eggs) and nothing more. You will find people that can best answer your questions pertaining to the breed (LF or bantam) AND will likely find someone close to your area. It is surprising to find people closer than you think! I'm sure I'm not helping, but if you find something you like on the auction site...know what you are willing to spend...don't pass that. Another auction will always be around the corner! Sometimes they can get out of hand!

 

[IdealisticRoo]

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Thank you! Happy 1 year anniversary of being on BYC! I love BYC, I can't imagine what I did all day before BYC!

I won't be long with this many birds, however. I consider the official capacity of my 2 henhouses to be about 40 total. So, when they are grown up some will have to go.

I plan on keeping my original 7 E.E.s, the 4 BA hens and the matching roo, a HANDFULL of Bantams, and maybe 2-3 of the assorted pullets (I have my eye on the 2 E.E.s and the 1 barred rock, but I am sure I will fall in love with 1 or 2 of the others.)

And I haven't even thought about how many of the hatchlings I will "have" to keep! I have always wanted true rumpless Araucanas, and the thought of DARK eggs from Marans is tantalizing!

I see why people joke about "chicken math"!

I do have plans for a medium-sized (ok, HUGE) chicken coop to be built behind the barn and I did get tentative approval from DF when I mentioned it, but I don't think the size of the thing was understood when I mentioned it!

 

[Muggsmagee]

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Welcome! First of all I need to mention one of my favorite movie quotes of all time...from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"..."the man may be the head of the household, but the woman is the neck and can turn the head any way she wants!" I just love it because it is true! You and your mom proved that.

What kind of predators are you dealing with? And what kind of chickens did you end up ordering from McMurray? I ordered a little bit of everything...couldn't help myself!

 

[Muggsmagee]

Yay Chicks! :

Happy BYC Anniversary, Mugsmagee!