Hi, I was raised in Maryland, in the Washington DC burbs and when I moved to Florida about 10 years ago I had never been near a live chicken other than at county fairs. The house that I bought on 4 acres came with a large coop with a fenced in run, so I began
raising chickens through trial and error with mixed success. The first tough hurdle I had to overcome was predators...my run was fenced overhead, and seemed secure, but those pesky racoons, foxes and opposums found every chink in the armor. After several weeks and MANY lost birds (plus the frequent use of a live trap) I patched every gap and secured the ground to prevent burrowing.
I have kept my flock alive through bouts of disease, hurricanes and floods, heatwaves and drought, and have added guinea fowl and ducks. at the moment I have 15 hens, 3 roosters, 4 rouen ducks and 4 guineas, and an incubator full of eggs to expand my brood.
The intenet has come alive with resources that I with wish I had discovered when I was starting out. Most of the articles that I could find were either alarmist, making it sound like raising poultry was tough and that it took expert care to maintain a flock, or the complete opposite.. that raising chickens is so easy that they should teach it to infants. I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. it is something easy that comes with a few challenges. I enjoy the fact that so many poultry hobbyists have come together in online communities, and there is always something to learn .... and new and different ways to do things. I hope that I can contibute.
raising chickens through trial and error with mixed success. The first tough hurdle I had to overcome was predators...my run was fenced overhead, and seemed secure, but those pesky racoons, foxes and opposums found every chink in the armor. After several weeks and MANY lost birds (plus the frequent use of a live trap) I patched every gap and secured the ground to prevent burrowing.
I have kept my flock alive through bouts of disease, hurricanes and floods, heatwaves and drought, and have added guinea fowl and ducks. at the moment I have 15 hens, 3 roosters, 4 rouen ducks and 4 guineas, and an incubator full of eggs to expand my brood.
The intenet has come alive with resources that I with wish I had discovered when I was starting out. Most of the articles that I could find were either alarmist, making it sound like raising poultry was tough and that it took expert care to maintain a flock, or the complete opposite.. that raising chickens is so easy that they should teach it to infants. I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. it is something easy that comes with a few challenges. I enjoy the fact that so many poultry hobbyists have come together in online communities, and there is always something to learn .... and new and different ways to do things. I hope that I can contibute.
Glad you joined.
