Hello, from a new member in Missouri!

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G Hughes said:
Hello! from a new member!

(I will try and answer the suggested items in the new member template without being excessively long and boring :) )

Greetings to all! I (and my wife) are new to chickens, although my mother did raise them when I was very young.

We presently have 4 Buff Orpingtons, purchased locally at a farm store in February, in a coop w/a small run that I built, who are laying very nice brown eggs for us daily.

We also have 9 Delaware and 9 Light Brahma is a separate coop/run that were purchased from Cackle Hatchery in Lebanon, MO, which we received in May. I estimate eggs from this bunch will arrive next month (except for the 3 (surprise!) roosters. I ordered 16 hens, Cackle Hatchery sent 18, they all arrived in fine shape, and it turned out 3 were roosters. So a pretty good average as I got 15 hens. This bunch was all raised in the living room in two large watermelon boxes as a brooder. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that all 3 boys continue to get along as well as they have so far, but preparing for the worst if the hormones make them nuts later. Two are crowing and helping the ladies head off to roost at dusk, and so far, so good.

We have two dogs, Sheba and Chance, (who wondered what the heck was going on when I started bringing baby chicks home) who watched all these birds grow up in the front room, and get along very well with them. If we are in the yard we will let the older birds free range and the dogs stretch out in the grass and take a nap.

I retired from heavy/highway construction several years ago, and this year, at age 68, decided to raise a few chickens. I also have a small portable sawmill that I like to saw logs into lumber on, and hopefully I can grow the coop and run size as we go. THIS group is the one I’ve searched the most for any and all info and advice I wanted, so I decided to join in and ask questions (if they haven’t already been answered here after a search). I found the group with a simple DuckDuckGo search, after looking at many others (including some on Facebook). I notice the atmosphere is much better here, in regards to helpful answers, better attitude, civility, politeness, etc. That is the reason I joined.

Initially, my wife did not want chickens. “I do not want chickens!” she told me. More than once. But as you have probably guessed, once I brought the first 4 little fluffballs home, she fell in love, and was the best help I possibly could have had raising them. Now grown, those Buff Orpingtons follow her around the yard like puppies, wanting “Mom” to give them a treat. We are having the best egg sandwiches, scrambled eggs, egg custard, ever. Lots of flavor, deep orange yolks, and not those whites that pour out like water when you break an egg. I see that the feed and black soldier fly larvae are stocked up, while my wife makes sure they have grapes, yogurt, oatmeal, and whatever other treats they want.

I wish to thank you all for the helpful information and advice I’ve found here over the past few months as I searched for answers on raising and caring for chickens!



Glenn
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Welcome to BYC!!
 
G Hughes said:
Hello! from a new member!

(I will try and answer the suggested items in the new member template without being excessively long and boring :) )

Greetings to all! I (and my wife) are new to chickens, although my mother did raise them when I was very young.
Glenn
Click to expand...
Welcome here Glenn and wife. I'm so glad you joined this IS a great community with so much knowledgeable folks. I have learned a lot in 3 years here. Nice looking run there. I got my chickens at age 68 also. I love their antics. :wee and their egg songs!
 

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