So I feel like a total nerd for joining chicken forums, but I just couldn't keep it in me any longer. I love chickens, you guys. I love their little faces and their lumpy bodies and the soft cooing sounds they make and the way they tilt their head when something curious catches their eye. Some of my friends laugh at me and think I'm weird for being so attached to something they order at McDonald's in the form of processed nuggets and patties, but luckily I have a boyfriend who supports my obsession with chickens (not to the point where he'd join these forums though, lol). Whenever we're at the store he always tries to talk me into buying something that has a chicken on it, and half the time he succeeds. Recently I acquired two place mats with a glorious rooster knitted into them.
My family used to have chickens when I was younger, but tragically, one by one, they all fell victim to predators. Now that I'm on my own and living 2 hours away from everyone I know, I've decided to bring a chicken into my apartment to keep me company. Just a small bantam who doesn't mind the urban life. Luckily, the building I live in has a decent-sized partially fenced in yard, so I would even feel comfortable bringing her outside to scratch around in the grass and take dirt baths like every chicken should be entitled to. It will just be a couple months before I get to meet my bff chicken, because I have my heart set on an Orpington bantam, and the closest guy I can get them from is Dick Horstman in PA, who won't be able to ship me eggs for another 4-6 weeks. Then I have to wait for the eggs to hatch. It will be fun though; I was 10 years old the last time we incubated eggs and raised chicks and ducklings. Now that greater technology exists, and because I am a total geek, I'm thinking of setting up a webcam where the chicks will be housed and stream it over the internet so I can keep an eye on them while I'm at work. Plus it would most likely be around Easter time so I'm sure my website would also be popular with small children wishing to see fluffy peeping things that move while learning about Jesus.
As for what do to with the extra chicks once they get too big, my family is going to take a few (but not without making sure they have a predator-proof coop set up first), and I'm sure I can find homes for the rest since bantam Orps seem to be quite uncommon (even rarer than the black Indian Runners we used to have, and we had no trouble selling them at poultry fairs). I wish I could have a giant chicken farm with all different types of chickens, though. Someday, it will happen. It will be called Chooktopia.
And if you read any of that, you are officially my hero. I only have my boyfriend to discuss chicken stuff with so for the most part I am pent up with useless chicken ramblings. Prepare for more as I acquire the eggs.
Speaking of which, I actually learned about Dick Horstman through this website... has anyone gotten bantam Orps though him, and if so, could you post a picture of them? He says he doesn't have any pictures of his Orps because "he ran out of time when taking pictures". He must be one busy guy...
My family used to have chickens when I was younger, but tragically, one by one, they all fell victim to predators. Now that I'm on my own and living 2 hours away from everyone I know, I've decided to bring a chicken into my apartment to keep me company. Just a small bantam who doesn't mind the urban life. Luckily, the building I live in has a decent-sized partially fenced in yard, so I would even feel comfortable bringing her outside to scratch around in the grass and take dirt baths like every chicken should be entitled to. It will just be a couple months before I get to meet my bff chicken, because I have my heart set on an Orpington bantam, and the closest guy I can get them from is Dick Horstman in PA, who won't be able to ship me eggs for another 4-6 weeks. Then I have to wait for the eggs to hatch. It will be fun though; I was 10 years old the last time we incubated eggs and raised chicks and ducklings. Now that greater technology exists, and because I am a total geek, I'm thinking of setting up a webcam where the chicks will be housed and stream it over the internet so I can keep an eye on them while I'm at work. Plus it would most likely be around Easter time so I'm sure my website would also be popular with small children wishing to see fluffy peeping things that move while learning about Jesus.
As for what do to with the extra chicks once they get too big, my family is going to take a few (but not without making sure they have a predator-proof coop set up first), and I'm sure I can find homes for the rest since bantam Orps seem to be quite uncommon (even rarer than the black Indian Runners we used to have, and we had no trouble selling them at poultry fairs). I wish I could have a giant chicken farm with all different types of chickens, though. Someday, it will happen. It will be called Chooktopia.
And if you read any of that, you are officially my hero. I only have my boyfriend to discuss chicken stuff with so for the most part I am pent up with useless chicken ramblings. Prepare for more as I acquire the eggs.
