Hello!
I've been lurking around this forum since last March, and I'm excited to finally become a part of the community!
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I am relatively new to chickens. My first experience with chickens occurred early in high school, when my family ordered pullets from McMurray. We had primarily Black Australorps, along with a few Barred Rocks and Easter Eggers (which at the time we called Araucanas, as that's what they were advertised as). My younger sister showed a pair of the Black Australorps in 4-H. Since we only had pullets and we had purchased them for eggs, we entered them in the laying class. I'll never forget the row of flighty, narrow leghorns, and Annie standing there with her big black girls! She did manage a Grand Champion for showmanship, though.
One or two years later we ordered straight run bantams, and our little barnyard flock started hatching their own eggs. My favorite hen at that time was a white Cochin bantam. She was an amazing mother - she once tried to fly up and attack a hawk that was sitting on top of the coop.
The chickens that I have now are the first chickens that I've ever purchased and cared for on my own.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
31 that are about 3 months old. I'm having my surplus males processed in about a month, than I'll be down to about 20.
(3) What breeds do you have?
I have Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Speckled Sussex, Silver Laced Wyandottes, and BBS Cochin bantams from Sand Hill, Easter Eggers and one Golden Comet (I think) from the feed store, and Cuckoo Marans from a local guy (although I question the purity of my one pullet - she has a muff!). This morning I picked up a beautiful Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucana pair at the post office from shelleyb1969!
Here's a picture of one of my favorite girls, Lily, and of the "kids" investigating my feet.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
I think I was googling Blue Andalusions... Or perhaps I found the link on a food/gardening blog I read? Hard to remember!
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Growing tomatoes, reading, and bicycling.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I have a degree in creative writing and environmental studies, and I currently work for a small store specializing in local foods. I got married almost a year ago (wow!), and my husband and I are living with my parents while we work to pay off student loans. This means I still get my home in the country.
Last year, my family only had one chicken (whom I didn't count in my tally) - a Black Australorp that sleeps underneath our living room window (she hates my young ones - she's like an old lady that got saddled with a bunch of noisy teens!). Last summer we cleaned out the old chicken coop, which was in an existing shed on the property, and it's currently being remodeled into a living space for my husband and I. In the spring we built a new coop in the barn.
It's a bit hard, in a society that highly values self-sufficiency and independence, to admit to living with your parents (although it is a wonderful arrangement for all of us). Ordering and caring for my own flock has given me a much greater feeling of autonomy. I love it!
My husband and I also have a 4 year old brindle mastiff named Hannah, whom we love to pieces.
This forum has already taught me so much and I can't wait to learn more! Thanks!
I've been lurking around this forum since last March, and I'm excited to finally become a part of the community!
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I am relatively new to chickens. My first experience with chickens occurred early in high school, when my family ordered pullets from McMurray. We had primarily Black Australorps, along with a few Barred Rocks and Easter Eggers (which at the time we called Araucanas, as that's what they were advertised as). My younger sister showed a pair of the Black Australorps in 4-H. Since we only had pullets and we had purchased them for eggs, we entered them in the laying class. I'll never forget the row of flighty, narrow leghorns, and Annie standing there with her big black girls! She did manage a Grand Champion for showmanship, though.
One or two years later we ordered straight run bantams, and our little barnyard flock started hatching their own eggs. My favorite hen at that time was a white Cochin bantam. She was an amazing mother - she once tried to fly up and attack a hawk that was sitting on top of the coop.
The chickens that I have now are the first chickens that I've ever purchased and cared for on my own.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
31 that are about 3 months old. I'm having my surplus males processed in about a month, than I'll be down to about 20.
(3) What breeds do you have?
I have Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Speckled Sussex, Silver Laced Wyandottes, and BBS Cochin bantams from Sand Hill, Easter Eggers and one Golden Comet (I think) from the feed store, and Cuckoo Marans from a local guy (although I question the purity of my one pullet - she has a muff!). This morning I picked up a beautiful Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucana pair at the post office from shelleyb1969!
Here's a picture of one of my favorite girls, Lily, and of the "kids" investigating my feet.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
I think I was googling Blue Andalusions... Or perhaps I found the link on a food/gardening blog I read? Hard to remember!
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Growing tomatoes, reading, and bicycling.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I have a degree in creative writing and environmental studies, and I currently work for a small store specializing in local foods. I got married almost a year ago (wow!), and my husband and I are living with my parents while we work to pay off student loans. This means I still get my home in the country.
It's a bit hard, in a society that highly values self-sufficiency and independence, to admit to living with your parents (although it is a wonderful arrangement for all of us). Ordering and caring for my own flock has given me a much greater feeling of autonomy. I love it!
My husband and I also have a 4 year old brindle mastiff named Hannah, whom we love to pieces.
This forum has already taught me so much and I can't wait to learn more! Thanks!
