ACProsecutor
In the Brooder
Hi. I'm Jessica.
I raised chickens as a kid, now I am back to raising them after moving from the city to a place out in the country. I've been an avid reader/lurker here at BYC for the past 6 months or so - when we got our first batch of 6 chicks <3 I'd google whenever something was up with a chick, when I was looking for coops, and when we got suddenly got our first turkey and had no idea what to do with him, and BYC always came up, so it became my go-to source. I joined because our tom got sick, and now he's felling better thanks to things I read on a thread here on BYC. I want to post my experiences and thank the people who posted for helping to save our sweet guy!
Chicken math struck big time, and my husband, Mark, and I are now up to 34 chickens and 8 turkeys. Our property is a former dog kennel, so we have 3 separate fenced areas, and we have 5 separate coops for our chooks: The first has a Barred Rock rooster (Paco) 2 Silver Pencilled Plymouth Rock hens (Elizabeth & Margaret) a Lavender Orpington hen (Mother Clucker) and 2 Lavender French Marans pullets (Clawdia and Maranda). The second has a HUGE Easter Egger rooster (Cogburn) 3 Brahma hens (Henrietta, Henny Penny & Harriett) and 2 Ameracauna hens (Big Birg & Wenders). The third has a Ayam Cemani cockerel (Darth) 2 Barred rock pullets (Velosi & Raptor) 2 Lavender Orpington pullets (Bravebutt & Nurple) 2 Buff Orpington pullets (Buffy & Goldy) and a Silver-laced Wyandotte pullet (Spotte). Our Polish coop has a porcelain cockerel (Elvis, the gorgeous guy in my profile pic) a porcelain pullet (Stonewall) 2 black pullets (Dot and Raven) a Tolbunt pullet (Shallot) and 2 Candy Corn pullets (Candy & Corn). Then we have a pair or Faverolles in their own coop (Peaches and Trooper).
Our turkeys are a Narragansett tom (Timmy) and his 2 hens (Tina & Tonya) their 3 poults (Tobey, Tammy and Taffy) who live in a brooder with with 4 chicks the same age: Golden Comets (Salt & Sugar) and Asians (Pepper & Spice). Finally, we have 2 Royal Palm poults (Trudy and Trouble) with an Ameracauna chick (Millie) who thinks she is a poult (long story!)
We had several losses to coccidiosis this summer, as well as some young Polish dying from head injuries. Included was my favorite Polish, who was pecked in the head by a rooster, who we culled. This is the heartbreaking part of poultry keeping, but so far, the rewards far outweigh the heartbreak.
As for me, I'm an attorney - actually a prosecutor. I prosecute animal control cases (mostly dangerous dogs and cruelty cases) for a jurisdiction in Virginia. I've never prosecuted anyone for having chickens or made anyone get rid of their chickens, so please don't cuss me out.
I raised chickens as a kid, now I am back to raising them after moving from the city to a place out in the country. I've been an avid reader/lurker here at BYC for the past 6 months or so - when we got our first batch of 6 chicks <3 I'd google whenever something was up with a chick, when I was looking for coops, and when we got suddenly got our first turkey and had no idea what to do with him, and BYC always came up, so it became my go-to source. I joined because our tom got sick, and now he's felling better thanks to things I read on a thread here on BYC. I want to post my experiences and thank the people who posted for helping to save our sweet guy!
Chicken math struck big time, and my husband, Mark, and I are now up to 34 chickens and 8 turkeys. Our property is a former dog kennel, so we have 3 separate fenced areas, and we have 5 separate coops for our chooks: The first has a Barred Rock rooster (Paco) 2 Silver Pencilled Plymouth Rock hens (Elizabeth & Margaret) a Lavender Orpington hen (Mother Clucker) and 2 Lavender French Marans pullets (Clawdia and Maranda). The second has a HUGE Easter Egger rooster (Cogburn) 3 Brahma hens (Henrietta, Henny Penny & Harriett) and 2 Ameracauna hens (Big Birg & Wenders). The third has a Ayam Cemani cockerel (Darth) 2 Barred rock pullets (Velosi & Raptor) 2 Lavender Orpington pullets (Bravebutt & Nurple) 2 Buff Orpington pullets (Buffy & Goldy) and a Silver-laced Wyandotte pullet (Spotte). Our Polish coop has a porcelain cockerel (Elvis, the gorgeous guy in my profile pic) a porcelain pullet (Stonewall) 2 black pullets (Dot and Raven) a Tolbunt pullet (Shallot) and 2 Candy Corn pullets (Candy & Corn). Then we have a pair or Faverolles in their own coop (Peaches and Trooper).
Our turkeys are a Narragansett tom (Timmy) and his 2 hens (Tina & Tonya) their 3 poults (Tobey, Tammy and Taffy) who live in a brooder with with 4 chicks the same age: Golden Comets (Salt & Sugar) and Asians (Pepper & Spice). Finally, we have 2 Royal Palm poults (Trudy and Trouble) with an Ameracauna chick (Millie) who thinks she is a poult (long story!)
We had several losses to coccidiosis this summer, as well as some young Polish dying from head injuries. Included was my favorite Polish, who was pecked in the head by a rooster, who we culled. This is the heartbreaking part of poultry keeping, but so far, the rewards far outweigh the heartbreak.
As for me, I'm an attorney - actually a prosecutor. I prosecute animal control cases (mostly dangerous dogs and cruelty cases) for a jurisdiction in Virginia. I've never prosecuted anyone for having chickens or made anyone get rid of their chickens, so please don't cuss me out.
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We are glad you joined our flock!
