Hi, I'm Wendi. I live in Nacogdoches, Texas in an area referred to as the Piney Woods. My family and I live on a plot of very wooded land about 5 acres small.
My aunt who lives 'next door' has a bunch of wonderful chickens, I found out a few months ago how healing and therapeutic taking care of and interacting with chickens can be. So now I'm over there every evening, playing with the chickens and feeding them special treats like bread or sunflower seeds.
I have a little rooster named Errol that waits on me to get there at my usual time and either follows me around or sits on my lap the whole time I'm over there and begs for sunflower seeds.
I was in an abusive marriage for two years and now suffer with extreme anxiety problems and PTSD. My aunt recommended a little "feather therapy" and now I can't get enough, I love her chickens like they were my own. It's the only place I feel completely safe and comfortable, surrounded by all those precious birds. My kids love picking up eggs and playing with the chickens too.
Aunt Lucy doesn't have internet access right now, so I may post a few questions or tips on her behalf. I'm sure she can probably help out with problems, she's been raising yard chickens for over 30 years! And I'll definitely tell her about this forum so she can join once her computer is back up and running! Now onto the form questions.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
My aunt has had chickens my whole life and my family living so close together I've always known a little bit about them. But this is the first time I've taken an avid interest. My aunt has been raising them for over 30 years.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
We have about 30 chickens, one turkey and a peacock.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Oh this is a long list
)
We have 5 "M" girls (all their names start with an "M" but we have trouble telling them apart), who are white leghorns,
we have 3 "Freckle girls" and Angel who are brown leghorns,
then Errol, Oddball, Kirby, Errol Junior (EJ) (Bantam roosters)
Thunder, Tuff Enuff, Crazy Baby, Little Mama and Miss Belle who are Bantam hens,
then there are Bonnie, Beatrice and Slick who are Rhode Island Red hens,
Sophie (the queen of the henyard) who is part Buff Orpington and part Rhode Island Red,
Two roosters, Tenacious and Shasta who are part Araucana, along with two hens, Cinderella and Bunny.
Then my aunt also has a Bantam hen in her house named Spikey who is a Sultan Bantam.
Note: we really haven't ever cared about the breeds, they are completely pets and not kept for breeding, meat or egg harvesting purposes, so if i got one wrong/misspelled I do apologize.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
I googled "chicken". I knew there had to be people out there just as obsessed with chickens as Aunt Lucy and I are.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I like to read and write stories, and of course spend time with the chickens.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I have two daughters ages 4 and 8. I've been divorced for almost three years now. I live here on this chunk of land with my mom and her family all around me. I also have two dogs, one really old mutt I liberated from the pound and another mutt who was a stray we took in. Also I'm 28 years old in case anyone is curious about my age. I hope to learn a lot of new things about chickens here and maybe share some stories of my own.
~Wendi~
My aunt who lives 'next door' has a bunch of wonderful chickens, I found out a few months ago how healing and therapeutic taking care of and interacting with chickens can be. So now I'm over there every evening, playing with the chickens and feeding them special treats like bread or sunflower seeds.
I have a little rooster named Errol that waits on me to get there at my usual time and either follows me around or sits on my lap the whole time I'm over there and begs for sunflower seeds.
I was in an abusive marriage for two years and now suffer with extreme anxiety problems and PTSD. My aunt recommended a little "feather therapy" and now I can't get enough, I love her chickens like they were my own. It's the only place I feel completely safe and comfortable, surrounded by all those precious birds. My kids love picking up eggs and playing with the chickens too.
Aunt Lucy doesn't have internet access right now, so I may post a few questions or tips on her behalf. I'm sure she can probably help out with problems, she's been raising yard chickens for over 30 years! And I'll definitely tell her about this forum so she can join once her computer is back up and running! Now onto the form questions.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
My aunt has had chickens my whole life and my family living so close together I've always known a little bit about them. But this is the first time I've taken an avid interest. My aunt has been raising them for over 30 years.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
We have about 30 chickens, one turkey and a peacock.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Oh this is a long list
) We have 5 "M" girls (all their names start with an "M" but we have trouble telling them apart), who are white leghorns,
we have 3 "Freckle girls" and Angel who are brown leghorns,
then Errol, Oddball, Kirby, Errol Junior (EJ) (Bantam roosters)
Thunder, Tuff Enuff, Crazy Baby, Little Mama and Miss Belle who are Bantam hens,
then there are Bonnie, Beatrice and Slick who are Rhode Island Red hens,
Sophie (the queen of the henyard) who is part Buff Orpington and part Rhode Island Red,
Two roosters, Tenacious and Shasta who are part Araucana, along with two hens, Cinderella and Bunny.
Then my aunt also has a Bantam hen in her house named Spikey who is a Sultan Bantam.
Note: we really haven't ever cared about the breeds, they are completely pets and not kept for breeding, meat or egg harvesting purposes, so if i got one wrong/misspelled I do apologize.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
I googled "chicken". I knew there had to be people out there just as obsessed with chickens as Aunt Lucy and I are.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I like to read and write stories, and of course spend time with the chickens.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I have two daughters ages 4 and 8. I've been divorced for almost three years now. I live here on this chunk of land with my mom and her family all around me. I also have two dogs, one really old mutt I liberated from the pound and another mutt who was a stray we took in. Also I'm 28 years old in case anyone is curious about my age. I hope to learn a lot of new things about chickens here and maybe share some stories of my own.
~Wendi~
