Greetings from California

ChippieChicken

In the Brooder
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
21
Reaction score
6
Points
24
Location
California
Been lurking around the forums for a while, thought I should join already. When you talk too much chicken IRL, people start to think you're obsessed. Not that the shoe doesn't fit. . . . But at least here it's expected.

My second generation of chickens is ten weeks old now. I ordered 3 Ameraucanas (one of which is Chippie, my avatar pic), 3 Minorcas, and 3 turkens from Murray McMurray this year, and got a little Lakenvelder roo as my free rare mystery chick. He's just come into his voice this last week and is tons of fun to watch around the run, looking out for his girls as they explore their space or nap in the rosemary.

I have a couple of two-year-old Barred Rock "aunties" too, who have been really patient and supportive with their new roommates through each phase (until mealworms are involved). They were little chatterboxes from the beginning and will tell anyone who will listen everything that's going on. Not to mention the great eggs! I couldn't have asked for a better starter breed than my BRs.

There's also a couple of chick-friendly cats, and a dog who thinks it's her duty to herd the chickens into their coop at night. She could sit outside their fence for hours if she got her way, just watching her babies and making sure no one is getting into anything they're not supposed to. She chases hawks and buzzards out of the yard, too (and herons, just to be on the safe side, no matter how often we tell her they're good birds).

I'm keeping track of the gang's adventures on Twitter for my nephew, who only gets to visit them one month out of the year. Our handle is @ChippieChicken.

Looking forward to talking with you all!

Before I end, here's a pic of some of the gang, trying to beat the CA heat (Moonlight, the roo, had just raised the cat warning, and a bunch of the girls swarmed the fence, going "Ooh! Where?"):

 
Hi :welcome

Glad you could join the flock! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your intro and finding out a little more about your flock. I have a dog that's just like yours!! He loves to sit and watch his babies and really does think they are his. I've had a broody for the first time this year and he could just not understand why the hen was with his babies it was ever so funny to watch.

Wishing you the very best of luck in the future.
Enjoy BYC and all the chicken chat :frow
 
Thanks so much, both of you!

That does sound familiar, Yorkshire coop. ^_^ If mine hears a chicken talking in the laying boxes, she'll sit below it and whine and not want to move until she's satisfied everything is OK. Drives her nuts when the BRs "fight" over a box. I'd be curious to see how she reacts if our chickens have babies of their own. Your dog sounds super cute.
 
Here he is with one that was under the weather for a couple of days. He sat there the whole time she was out untill I picked her up to separate her from the others. It's like he knew she was poorly and was there to hold her hand as such. He just loves them.

1000
 
Awww, what a sweetie! And a beautiful little guy besides. Dogs are so giving of themselves.

Here's our girl, watching the little ones get a drink out of frame:

The turkens seem especially accepting of her, even from when they were very small. I wonder if it helps that she matches two of them. . . .
 
Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. A lot of us were lurkers before joining. :o) You have a beautiful flock and dog. Thanks for posting the pics. If you haven't done so already, definitely our Learning Center at https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center. There is loads of useful information there. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.
 
Thanks so much, you guys!

Michael OShay, I will definitely be checking the link out, thank you. Always so much more that I can learn.

drumstick diva, we do feel fortunate with her, but I think it might have helped a bit too that our dog was at an age with her first flock where she was receptive to lots of positive reinforcement and learning new jobs. Now she's as addicted as I am (and she definitely knows what the word "chickie" refers to), but I still wouldn't leave her alone with them.
 
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom