ChickenGirl78...Fairly new and green in raising chickens.

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ChickenGirl78

ChickenGirl78

In the Brooder
5 Years
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Jun 11, 2014
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Hi there everyone!

I am fairly new to chickens and had a little bit of a rough start with raising them. I decided I wanted fresh eggs instead of store bought eggs and it just so happened that my sister in laws, mom, was way over stocked with birds that were laying already, so we got ourselves an Ameracauna Rooster, 2 Buff Brahma hens, a dark Brahma hen, and 2 Ameracauna hens, in February 2013. We built a beautiful chicken tractor for them and had them for 11months and free ranging the whole time without incident. I have other animals in the yard and have never had a problem with any predators...until this past December 25th, when the neighbours son's husky dogs came and killed them all...however I was able to collect 10 eggs for hatching before they were killed and out of the 10, 7 hatched!! Out of the 7 I only got 2 pullets, so I kept 2 cockerels and butchered 3. A couple weeks ago I lost one of the cockerels. I also got a silver wyndotte and a black splash wyndotte as well as a buff silkie rooster. Then I had orderd 21 baby chicks for april. A mix of bantam blue/black orpingtons, blue/black olive eggers, silver sussex, blue/black/splash marans, blue laced red wyndottes and ameracaunas. Most are three of each and a couple I was given as a bonus free. I am also currently raising broilers...started with 30 and lost four so I have 26 and they are 3 weeks this week. The 21 are 8 weeks old this week, my older ones are 21 weeks old this week.

I found out about backyard chickens by googling chicken breeds, care, raising etc. I never thought I would end up loving my chickens so much. Some have names, even the ones I butcher. I have a Gypsy Vanner tricolour horse, a mini donkey, 2 cats, a wolfhound/lab cross dog and a chinese crested dog. I love to care and spend time with them all and I also crochet and crochet custom dog sweaters for my crested dog as she is a hairy hairless and needs sweaters. Also, I love to cook and I make a mean quiche...when I have eggs. I had to wait until my pullets started laying and they just did a week ago, so looking forward to cooking and baking and eating free range chemical free eggs. I am also a stay at home wife/step mom...so I have the time. We live on a small acreage near Rocky Mountain House and I absolutely love it!!!


Thanks so much!

ChickenGirl78
 
ChickenGirl78 said:
Hi there everyone!

I am fairly new to chickens and had a little bit of a rough start with raising them. I decided I wanted fresh eggs instead of store bought eggs and it just so happened that my sister in laws, mom, was way over stocked with birds that were laying already, so we got ourselves an Ameracauna Rooster, 2 Buff Brahma hens, a dark Brahma hen, and 2 Ameracauna hens, in February 2013. We built a beautiful chicken tractor for them and had them for 11months and free ranging the whole time without incident. I have other animals in the yard and have never had a problem with any predators...until this past December 25th, when the neighbours son's husky dogs came and killed them all...however I was able to collect 10 eggs for hatching before they were killed and out of the 10, 7 hatched!! Out of the 7 I only got 2 pullets, so I kept 2 cockerels and butchered 3. A couple weeks ago I lost one of the cockerels. I also got a silver wyndotte and a black splash wyndotte as well as a buff silkie rooster. Then I had orderd 21 baby chicks for april. A mix of bantam blue/black orpingtons, blue/black olive eggers, silver sussex, blue/black/splash marans, blue laced red wyndottes and ameracaunas. Most are three of each and a couple I was given as a bonus free. I am also currently raising broilers...started with 30 and lost four so I have 26 and they are 3 weeks this week. The 21 are 8 weeks old this week, my older ones are 21 weeks old this week.

I found out about backyard chickens by googling chicken breeds, care, raising etc. I never thought I would end up loving my chickens so much. Some have names, even the ones I butcher. I have a Gypsy Vanner tricolour horse, a mini donkey, 2 cats, a wolfhound/lab cross dog and a chinese crested dog. I love to care and spend time with them all and I also crochet and crochet custom dog sweaters for my crested dog as she is a hairy hairless and needs sweaters. Also, I love to cook and I make a mean quiche...when I have eggs. I had to wait until my pullets started laying and they just did a week ago, so looking forward to cooking and baking and eating free range chemical free eggs. I am also a stay at home wife/step mom...so I have the time. We live on a small acreage near Rocky Mountain House and I absolutely love it!!!


Thanks so much!

ChickenGirl78
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You found the place for all your 411. Sorry to hear about the Christmas Massacre. I live in the mountains of North GA, and I have had my share of predator encounters. The neighbors crazy Boxer got into my coop a few years back and slaughtered ALL of my birds. I have had to deal with racoons,opossums,foxes, black bears, and hawks. I even had 6 half grown turkeys in a coop and something beheaded them without getting inside. I still scratch my head on that one. It sounds like you are learning chicken math. 1+1=1more=4more=30 more... see where this is going.
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Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Sounds like you are putting together a nice flock again, sorry about the loss of your older birds.
 
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Welcome to BYC!

So sorry about the loss of your first flock. But it sounds like you are growing a very nice flock this time around!

Enjoy this wonderful adventure you are on and welcome to our flock!
 
Thank you all for the warm welcome!!! I am starting again...and they are beautiful birds...I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for them to lay...miss fresh eggs. In time I should have plenty and then some and be wondering what to do with them all!!
 
I would love to hear that neighbors are held fully accountable for the losses their loose dogs bring about. What ever happened to calling the police or animal control and getting some justice served?
If they are good neighbors they would jump to pay restitution and take active steps to control their dogs. If not, the dog should be caught if possible and dropped off at some animal shelter far from town.

Unless circumstances change you will caught in the revolving door of replacement chickens. No fun for the poor birds.
 
I am happy to report that I got good restitution for my loss...and it was just a freak occurance as the dogs were my neighbors son's that he brought and tied up in his parents yard for the holidays, while he took off to another city. They are big husky dogs and weren't used to being tied up and they chewed themsleves off their leash and came a mile down the road to my house and did what they did. Needless to say that the family has been warned that in compliance with alberta government law, we will not tolerate another flock loss from their dogs without consequences. So far so good. ;-) The only thing with losing the flock even with recieving restitution is the 6 months we have to wait until and if the hens are viable egg layers...
 

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