Guess it's my turn

[Popeye]

Okay, my name is Keith. I am so close to 50 years young I can hear the hot breath of AARP calling me to membership! I grew up in the quite rural countryside of New Hampshire, back before the influx of "out of staters" moved in and took all the country away that I used to play in. I grew up on a piece of land that was a Kings grant to my ancestors to grow mast trees for the King's Navy back in 1627. Of the 5 acres left, my family home is on that and I am taking possession of that home next month. After all us kids were grown and gone, my Dad, a Navy Vet of 21 years with a tour in Korea and 3 in Nam on PBR's, needed a hobby and took to raising chickens, ducks and geese. He has a few goats too, as pets. After he died in 2002, my Mom got rid of the few she had left and the coop areas fell apart. Now that I am taking that home over, I want to bring the chickens back and have a small batch, but I suspect once I get started, and learn the in's and out's my Dad did, it will grow so, here I am. To learn much more than I can teach and I hope bring back a little of what my Dad grew to love so much, raising chickens for eggs and just a sense of when times were less complicated and much less worrisome about all that is now bad for us and what we can catch that will kill us from where.
Sorry for rambling on....my lady friend tells me I sometimes talk too much....maybe she's right.
Thanks for reading...

Keith Rayeski
Newmarket, NH

 

[mjane]

Welcome! I'm fairly new here too but this site is incredible! It sounds like your homestead has so much family history, very cool you are continuing to lead it on. I'm so glad you are getting chickens, you will just love them. I myself never thought I would have chickens, but I think they are so awesome. I recently had a big loss of chickens due to a predator but have a few that escaped some jerseys and a duck. We are starting over though in a big way, I ordered 75 chicks for may delivery. Again welcome!

 

[ranchhand]

Hello Keith, and

from South Carolina !

Sounds like you have a wonderful project ahead of you. You can learn a zillion things here on BYC, as well as "meet" a bunch of really nice, helpful folks!

 

[cluckychick]

 

[sewchick]

From Old Town, Maine

 

[Popeye]

thanks for all the warm welcomes! My biggest fear are the predators you mention. I read having geese keep the fox away but my nephew told me the other day that my dad had a fox that used to bed down with the geese!! That shocked me! I have been trying to re-invent the wheel and come up with ways to at least minimize the risk.....I'll keep you all posted how that turns out....My Dad used to shoot them but with all the new houses sprung up behind the house, shooting at them is not a option. I thought if I could make friends with them, maybe we could come to an agreement!!

Popeye

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

from TN

 

[doodlebug]

Good Morning Keith,

Wow your farm & it's history is soooo cool! I would love to have a story like that!

We have had some preditor problems but we have REALLY good roosters that warn everyone (chickens & people) if there is a problem.

Good to have met you!

Ginger from NC

 

[WriterofWords]

Welcome from New Mexico!

 

[b.hromada]

Hi Keith, and welcome, I'm also pretty new too. Your property sounds so beautiful, and where you are from, thats wonderful! I like your idea on the simpler times that we had, I'm your age as well, and sure have seen lots of changes in my life, some not so great either, as you can attest to.
You will love having chickens. I have a bunch here, but am not supposed to, oh well, just praying no one turns me in, so far so good. Heck, after all, who are they bothering anyway. Just Enjoy, keep us all posted!