Finally! I have backyard chickens...

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SDaisy79

SDaisy79

Hatching
Jul 28, 2015
4
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9
Hello all,

I have been researching backyard chicken ownership for a while now. Finally, I have my girls. This site has been super helpful to get the whole process started. I started with plans to build my own coop, then my hubby decided we should start with a pre-fab. Not my first choice, but it is working out. We agreed on 3 chickens, then there were four.
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It took sometime to convince my husband that these pets, er I mean "birds" are for eggs to save money, fresher eggs, health benefits, etc. Not sure he is convinced they are not pets, but I am happy! They are not laying yet, as they still have some growing to do. I am having fun with them. Oh, I was supposed to be introducing myself. Oops! Anyways, I am Helen from Vero Beach, FL, wife to my darling husband and mother to one son (10), and I work in the Intermediate Cardiac Care Unit (ICC) for my local hospital as a Registered Nurse. My first four hens are an Ameraucana, Buff Orpington (I think, farm store was unsure), Blue Silkie Bantam, and White Silkie Bantam. I am so excited to join this great community of backyard chicken fans.

Helen (SDaisy79)


 
Welcome to Backyard chickens. Congratulations on your new flock. I think your Ameraucuna is an Easter Egger. Glad to see them all get along, sometimes silkies are bullied because they look so different than the regular chickens.

Chickens are so good for stress relief and watching chicken TV can be hysterical. New shows every day, no reruns, no cable or satellite bills.
 
Welcome Helen! Cute chickens, "then there were four" that's chicken math for sure. You're a natural! Several threads address chicken math, it would behoove you to become an expert. ;) You are funny! Yes, fresher eggs, healthier eggs for sure. Pets for sure, great hobby for sure! The money saving part, meh, refer back to chicken math and swear to it, we do. Anyhoo, congrats on your "birds". Love Vero Beach. I was raised on the Gold Coast. On to unsolicited chicken advice: Any question you have will be answered by an eggspert here. Check the Forum navigation for all the different categories of interest. As a first year BYC keeper, 2 topics gave me much anxiety. What formula to feed and when to feed it and when will they lay! We should get college credit for the research! When to switch to lay feed? It's not at X weeks. Stay on grow feed and provide oyster shell for added calcium until all the gals are laying. When will they lay? When they are ready! Might be 16 weeks or 24 or 30. It'll happen. The waiting is agony! Nothing speeds that up. Where will they lay? Where they want to! Paint the nest box darker, add fake eggs or golf balls, re-position it...that all helps them choose where we want them to lay but doesn't speed things up. Goodness, the early mornings running down to check for eggs. I wish I'd have slept in, waited a month to get anxious. Here's a great thread with funny stories and good info. for us greenhorns. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/982015/who-else-is-waiting-for-that-first-egg
 
Thanks for the welcome ya'all!!

As for the breed of my chickens, I am only sure that the Silkies are Silkies. The other 2 larger girls, who knows. The girl that was at the feed store when I picked them up, was just filling in for the regular girl. She was not too sure about the breeds. So, my son and I just picked the cutest chicks. I tried to research it some, but as a newbie it is very hard to tell. I figured it would be easier as they grew. I am a little worried about the bullying of my Silkies, but so far they are holding their own. I think having them together from the start may be helping. They also have lots of room to run. I let them out everyday for at least 5 hours a day. Time will tell with all.

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