Hi,
I'm new to BYC. I've read some posts here and there over the past few months as a result of Google searches. Finally decided to jump in. It's been nearly 20 years since we've had chickens and boy have things changed since then!!
Having moved to a new country home last year, we decided to start a "small flock" of chickens this Spring to give us some fresh eggs. I was thinking 5 or 6 girls. He was thinking at least 25! Instant disconnect there!....So, our original purchase was 28 brown egg layers, mostly pullets, a few cockerels - RIR, Barred Rocks, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Gold Star and Black Sex Link.
Then the local feed store started carrying breeds that we found were on the ALBC critical/threatened list...5 of this, 6 of that, a dozen of these. Of course, then you want different blood for breeding...and it's impossible to find these breeds locally, so there's the dreaded 25 chick minimum to contend with. One thing led to another and ....now we're up to 300+ chickens. Our non-working hours are spent building coops, pens, runs and tending to chickens from 1 week to 4 months old. We enjoy the chickens...and working on naming them all !
Our current flock includes the following critial/threatened breeds: Blue Andalusians, Sicilian Buttercups, Gold and Silver Campines, Buckeyes, Faverolles, Lakenvelders, Phoenix, Redcaps, Spangled Russian Orloffs, White-faced Black Spanish, Black Sumatra, and Red-shouldered Yokohama. We also have Ameraucanas, Appenzeller Spitzhaubens, Cream Brabanters, Black Australorp, NH Reds, Gold-laced Wyandottes, Dominiques, Cochins and a variety of "assorted" bantams - Cochin, Silkie, Ameraucana, OEG and Japanese.
Looking forward to finding tips and pointers in the other forums!
I'm new to BYC. I've read some posts here and there over the past few months as a result of Google searches. Finally decided to jump in. It's been nearly 20 years since we've had chickens and boy have things changed since then!!
Having moved to a new country home last year, we decided to start a "small flock" of chickens this Spring to give us some fresh eggs. I was thinking 5 or 6 girls. He was thinking at least 25! Instant disconnect there!....So, our original purchase was 28 brown egg layers, mostly pullets, a few cockerels - RIR, Barred Rocks, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Gold Star and Black Sex Link.
Then the local feed store started carrying breeds that we found were on the ALBC critical/threatened list...5 of this, 6 of that, a dozen of these. Of course, then you want different blood for breeding...and it's impossible to find these breeds locally, so there's the dreaded 25 chick minimum to contend with. One thing led to another and ....now we're up to 300+ chickens. Our non-working hours are spent building coops, pens, runs and tending to chickens from 1 week to 4 months old. We enjoy the chickens...and working on naming them all !
Our current flock includes the following critial/threatened breeds: Blue Andalusians, Sicilian Buttercups, Gold and Silver Campines, Buckeyes, Faverolles, Lakenvelders, Phoenix, Redcaps, Spangled Russian Orloffs, White-faced Black Spanish, Black Sumatra, and Red-shouldered Yokohama. We also have Ameraucanas, Appenzeller Spitzhaubens, Cream Brabanters, Black Australorp, NH Reds, Gold-laced Wyandottes, Dominiques, Cochins and a variety of "assorted" bantams - Cochin, Silkie, Ameraucana, OEG and Japanese.
Looking forward to finding tips and pointers in the other forums!
from Ohio. So glad to have you aboard. 
