My name is Lindsay. Originally from Texas, currently living in western Ukraine with my parents, where they first moved to as missionaries 33 years ago. My mom decided to start keeping chickens 2 years ago. First flock of 5 hens was a steep learning curve and only 1 survived the first year (two got sick and died; 2 were bullies and were eliminated). Mom’s first flock survivor, Cherokee (we think she’s maybe a Rhode Island Red), spent many months alone, until Mom decided in summer 2025 to get 5 Lohman Brown hens - Ruby, Pearl, Dinah, Dixie, and Annie. After successful integration, she now has a great flock of 6. In Ukraine, chickens are kind of bottom of the totem pole livestock animals. Mom’s approach to her chickens is very amusing to all the neighbors, but their advice is not helpful for Mom, since it’s much too dismissive of the chickens’ wellbeing and survival! So, as we have worked to figure out keeping chickens, addressing flock problems, identifying and treating illness, our only place to turn to is the Internet. BYC forums have often provided the answers we needed, and it was time to join, so we can ask the questions we can’t find answers to.
