My name is Kim and I live in Texas with my two grown kiddoes (going to college), my brother-in-law (who is recovering from a stroke), my elderly mother (who rocks quite mightily), six dogs, and five cats, all rescues (big heart, shrinking wallet). I am also going to school (for personal growth, I guess), was a Music major until I took Music Theory (hahaha), and that ended that. Now I am just learning things that interest me. I sing for a classic rock cover band, but we also do jazz (our roots are there - we all met in a big band a few years ago) and some blues. I had been wanting to be a teacher several years ago, but became a widow at the end of my student teaching assignment, and realized there was no way I could support the household on a teacher's salary alone. (Seriously, love your teachers, folks. They work HARD, they get gruff from all sides all the time, they don't get the time off you think they do, and the pay is not that great. The only people who think teachers have it easy are the people who have never taught in public schools.)
Our chicken story: We recently had a little white chicken come up to us and tell us she was gonna hang around, and after asking around the neighborhood to try to find the owner, we decided we would love to have her join our family.
Despite being fascinated with them, I have never had chickens before. And I have always wanted to have chickens - always. I love the way they talk and walk, and the way they look at things or people. Have you seen the video online of the chicken running to hug the little child? I want that.
We named the little white bird Molly and she is a gem - after researching online I believe she is maybe a Delaware? She had been sleeping in the bushes, happily free ranging all day in our yard before we got her a little coop. She was recently attacked by a hawk but my daughter was able to chase it off before it got her, so now she is in an enclosed outdoor pen (with the coop) until we can get a bigger yard and hen house built for her.
I read that chickens need a flock so I went and got her a friend, a little Red of some kind, at the flea market. I can hear all of you now: "Did you quarantine her?" *hanging head* No, I didn't. I didn't know until I came here this morning. We have only had the red a couple days, and I put her in a dog carrier to bring her in last night because it got uncharacteristically cold and I can't let a living creature suffer when it gets that cold. I noticed she seems to be a little congested - no yuck coming out of her face anywhere, but I can hear a little rattle. So I am concerned and have been reading about respiratory infections and all that this morning too, right here on this site (THANK YOU!!!). But they are separated now and I am watching Molly (also in her own carrier inside the house) closely as well. We are iced in or we would be at the vet right now instead of on the computer!
We named the red Penny. Penny is very docile and sweet and appears to still be wrapping her head around the fact that we aren't going to eat her. (They told me at the flea market that restaurants come by early in the morning and buy live birds by the dozens to cook throughout the day!) She seems to love getting petted and talked to, but it is still new to her. And Molly very quickly made it clear that she is the boss around here, so I think Penny feels a little bullied right now.
So we have chickens just because we love animals - well, and Molly kind of insisted. We are vegetarians but not vegans, so if the girls want to gift us with eggs, we see that as a way to get eggs without contributing to an industry that we think is cruel. Otherwise we try to always by "certified cruelty free" eggs. I don't really care if my ladies lay or not, unless it is indicative of a health issue. I just love them.
So the first thing I will do when acquiring new hens is to quarantine for at least a month. I hope neither of my present girls have to pay too dearly for my ignorance.
Anyway, thanks for allowing me to join. I am super excited to become a part of this "flock"! Now I am going to head back to the diseases section and see what I can do about Penny's rattle, and hopefully protect Molly too.
Our chicken story: We recently had a little white chicken come up to us and tell us she was gonna hang around, and after asking around the neighborhood to try to find the owner, we decided we would love to have her join our family.
Despite being fascinated with them, I have never had chickens before. And I have always wanted to have chickens - always. I love the way they talk and walk, and the way they look at things or people. Have you seen the video online of the chicken running to hug the little child? I want that.
We named the little white bird Molly and she is a gem - after researching online I believe she is maybe a Delaware? She had been sleeping in the bushes, happily free ranging all day in our yard before we got her a little coop. She was recently attacked by a hawk but my daughter was able to chase it off before it got her, so now she is in an enclosed outdoor pen (with the coop) until we can get a bigger yard and hen house built for her.
I read that chickens need a flock so I went and got her a friend, a little Red of some kind, at the flea market. I can hear all of you now: "Did you quarantine her?" *hanging head* No, I didn't. I didn't know until I came here this morning. We have only had the red a couple days, and I put her in a dog carrier to bring her in last night because it got uncharacteristically cold and I can't let a living creature suffer when it gets that cold. I noticed she seems to be a little congested - no yuck coming out of her face anywhere, but I can hear a little rattle. So I am concerned and have been reading about respiratory infections and all that this morning too, right here on this site (THANK YOU!!!). But they are separated now and I am watching Molly (also in her own carrier inside the house) closely as well. We are iced in or we would be at the vet right now instead of on the computer!
We named the red Penny. Penny is very docile and sweet and appears to still be wrapping her head around the fact that we aren't going to eat her. (They told me at the flea market that restaurants come by early in the morning and buy live birds by the dozens to cook throughout the day!) She seems to love getting petted and talked to, but it is still new to her. And Molly very quickly made it clear that she is the boss around here, so I think Penny feels a little bullied right now.
So we have chickens just because we love animals - well, and Molly kind of insisted. We are vegetarians but not vegans, so if the girls want to gift us with eggs, we see that as a way to get eggs without contributing to an industry that we think is cruel. Otherwise we try to always by "certified cruelty free" eggs. I don't really care if my ladies lay or not, unless it is indicative of a health issue. I just love them.
So the first thing I will do when acquiring new hens is to quarantine for at least a month. I hope neither of my present girls have to pay too dearly for my ignorance.
Anyway, thanks for allowing me to join. I am super excited to become a part of this "flock"! Now I am going to head back to the diseases section and see what I can do about Penny's rattle, and hopefully protect Molly too.
I hated it. 
I used to be able to play a wicked piano, but haven't for many years.
