Hello: My wife and I just relocated to south central Kansas from Wyoming last year. I retired after 30 years as a biology teacher. My wife works in the neighboring town as its Planning Director. We bought a small, 7 acre hobby farm. We've always wanted to keep chickens. In March, we started raising a small flock of chickens. A couple of dozen hens and one rooster. Four breeds: SL Wyandottes, B Orpingtons, RI Reds, and Ameraucanas. They just turned 18 weeks old yesterday (8-23-14). We started free ranging them three weeks ago. I bought a small shed and converted it into a hen house and built a connecting 30' x 12' welded wire enclosed and roofed outdoor pen. We are really enjoying our chickens and are continuing to learn about them every day. I've kept a variety of animals most of my life but am just beginning to learn about keeping chickens. They've been really fun so far. We have been researching and reading things from the BYC site for a while now and am looking forward to joining and becoming part of this forum community.
Hello there and welcome to BYC! So glad you could join our community! Sounds like you have a lovely flock. Make yourself at home here and welcome to our flock!
Hi Dan, Welcome to BYC from a former Kansan (moved to FL about 4 years ago...couldn't take those winters any more). Glad to have you here. And you are right, chickens are amazing!
Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. BTW, one of the reasons we moved to Kansas from Wyoming was because of the warmer climate. I guess it's all relative.
Welcome to BYC, Dan! Glad you decided to join our flock. Your story sounds somewhat similar to mine. I am a retired high school Physics and Physical Science teacher. I lived in northern Kansas for a short while, and was there during one of the worst winters in history when the temperature dipped once to 30F below zero. Kansas may not typically be as cold as Wyoming, but the incessant, winter wind cuts across those flat plains like a knife. However, I raised Black Australorps, which are very cold (and heat) hardy, while I was there, and with a dry, draft free coop, they did just fine. All of your breeds are pretty cold hardy as well. The Ameraucanas (actually ours are Easter Eggers, as true Ameraucanas lay only blue eggs) are my granddaughter's favorites. She loves the different colored eggs they lay. Good luck in your new state and with your flock.