Hi all! Just wanted to say hello as I make the leap from recent lurker to full fledged member 
*copied the questions from the introductory post I was directed to after registering *
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
very new...I've had friends in the past who raised chickens and thought it sounded interesting but never gave it much more thought at the time. Last year however, my boyfriend and I moved to a new rental home where several neighbors raise chickens, ducks, goats etc. Super neighborhood. Hearing everyone's stories, and actually seeing chicken keeping up close got my wheels spinning. I worked up the nerve to ask our landlord if we could have chickens and happily he said yes! I had originally planned on getting setup and then picking out our babies in May, but jumped the gun and brought home our chicks last month (I had a beloved kitty I had to euthanize, and wanted something to distract myself from that pain).
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
6. Went in thinking just 4, but couldn't resist a couple extras.
(3) What breeds do you have?
I should have written it down when i brought everyonehome from Tractor Supply...i know i have 2 Sapphire Gems...they looked like little baby penguins with their grey downy coloring- their names are Mumble (like the penguin in Happy Feet) and Blizzard. I have 2 bantams...one looked like a little chipmunk (Chaka..a land of the lost character), and one may possibly be a coaching, very feathery legs (chicken little). Lastly, one I think is an australorp (francis), and one is either a Wyandotte or orpington (cinnamon).
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Its been fun just watching their personalities come out and seeing them grow. My favorite thing right now is giving them a treat and watching them play chicken keep away with it. Oh and watching them take dust baths...not sure why but I just love watching them burrow in and kick out- makes me smile every single time!
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I like to knit, garden, sew, and cook...not well at any of those, but i like to try at least. Not a hobby per se, but I dream of going off grid in the coming years, so I love to learn all I can from books, tv, etc...that way when the time comes, I will be ready to make the dream a reality.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
My name is andrea...unemployed since may of 2020 when I caught covid (mild case). Has since turned into long covid...just a crazy experience to result from something that initially was like I said mild. I live in michigan with my boyfriend. We have, in addition to our new birdies, 3 cats and 2 small dogs (one of which thinks he's a cat- no joke, he taught himself to use the litterbox). We had 7 kitties last summer but due to a rough stretch of illness(some expected, some a complete shock) and old age ,that number is at our now 3. It's still difficult but the birds are helping to keep me busy and put a purpose in each day.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I stumbled on this group after a Google search of diy chicken coops led me here. Wound up not diy-ing (yet), but I would keep coming back again through Google searches on various chicky questions I had. Lurked a bit and then decided I might as well join in officially, as I'm sure the qquestions and need to learn won't stop any time soon!!
*copied the questions from the introductory post I was directed to after registering *
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
very new...I've had friends in the past who raised chickens and thought it sounded interesting but never gave it much more thought at the time. Last year however, my boyfriend and I moved to a new rental home where several neighbors raise chickens, ducks, goats etc. Super neighborhood. Hearing everyone's stories, and actually seeing chicken keeping up close got my wheels spinning. I worked up the nerve to ask our landlord if we could have chickens and happily he said yes! I had originally planned on getting setup and then picking out our babies in May, but jumped the gun and brought home our chicks last month (I had a beloved kitty I had to euthanize, and wanted something to distract myself from that pain).
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
6. Went in thinking just 4, but couldn't resist a couple extras.
(3) What breeds do you have?
I should have written it down when i brought everyonehome from Tractor Supply...i know i have 2 Sapphire Gems...they looked like little baby penguins with their grey downy coloring- their names are Mumble (like the penguin in Happy Feet) and Blizzard. I have 2 bantams...one looked like a little chipmunk (Chaka..a land of the lost character), and one may possibly be a coaching, very feathery legs (chicken little). Lastly, one I think is an australorp (francis), and one is either a Wyandotte or orpington (cinnamon).
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Its been fun just watching their personalities come out and seeing them grow. My favorite thing right now is giving them a treat and watching them play chicken keep away with it. Oh and watching them take dust baths...not sure why but I just love watching them burrow in and kick out- makes me smile every single time!
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I like to knit, garden, sew, and cook...not well at any of those, but i like to try at least. Not a hobby per se, but I dream of going off grid in the coming years, so I love to learn all I can from books, tv, etc...that way when the time comes, I will be ready to make the dream a reality.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
My name is andrea...unemployed since may of 2020 when I caught covid (mild case). Has since turned into long covid...just a crazy experience to result from something that initially was like I said mild. I live in michigan with my boyfriend. We have, in addition to our new birdies, 3 cats and 2 small dogs (one of which thinks he's a cat- no joke, he taught himself to use the litterbox). We had 7 kitties last summer but due to a rough stretch of illness(some expected, some a complete shock) and old age ,that number is at our now 3. It's still difficult but the birds are helping to keep me busy and put a purpose in each day.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I stumbled on this group after a Google search of diy chicken coops led me here. Wound up not diy-ing (yet), but I would keep coming back again through Google searches on various chicky questions I had. Lurked a bit and then decided I might as well join in officially, as I'm sure the qquestions and need to learn won't stop any time soon!!
Welcome! Doggo using the litter box 
