- Jan 3, 2012
- 3
- 1
- 9
Hi all, I've been a lurker for a long time, and was convinced I had already registered since I am at BYH, but I'm definitely registered now. I've had chickens (RIRs, BOs, Americaunas and Aracaunas) for several years now. I've been constantly amazed by the information available here and have learned so much. As a retired vet tech, I wasn't unfamiliar with animal care in general, and I had quite a bit of farm visit experience, but ... I gather I worked for vets that weren't really 'chicken' people
At the moment we have three smallish flocks of RIRs, BOs, and one mixed up one that has an Araucana/Choc. Maran mix with curly toes named ... Curly, and his even more mixed up ladies consisting of some BR that were sold to me as boys, Americaunas, and one RIR that always seems to get beat up if I try and keep her with her own flock. We also have Ducks, Geese, Guineas, Peafowl, rabbits, pigs, goats, and a rescued donkey that usually hates people (he spent his first 4 years in a 10x10 chainlink dog pen getting poked with sticks so I don't really blame him) that after a year has finally decided that occasionally he can tolerate me. We also have an assortment of cats and dogs.
DH and I are retired (military), have a huge garden, the start of a small orchard, and hopefully this year will be building a real barn! Some of our animals are for meat only, some are for eggs and meat, dairy, some are occasionally singled out as exceptional pet quality, and they are all spoiled rotten. My gilt weighs 550+ pounds and has never met an electric wire ~ she stays happily in the piggy digs inside her hog panels, barks like a dog, occasionally tries to crow with the roosters, and expects every human that wanders by to scratch behind her ears.
We've been aiming for sustainable living. We've built our home by ourselves (in a self contract state), built my mom a home. I do all of our baking, cheesemaking, canning and dehydrating, etc. as far as food. We process our meat animals together. DH is a knifemaker/blacksmith and pretty much can build or fix anything that I've managed to challenge him with. Now that I'm not lurking, I'll try and post some. I'm usually pretty tired in the evenings and just read
At the moment we have three smallish flocks of RIRs, BOs, and one mixed up one that has an Araucana/Choc. Maran mix with curly toes named ... Curly, and his even more mixed up ladies consisting of some BR that were sold to me as boys, Americaunas, and one RIR that always seems to get beat up if I try and keep her with her own flock. We also have Ducks, Geese, Guineas, Peafowl, rabbits, pigs, goats, and a rescued donkey that usually hates people (he spent his first 4 years in a 10x10 chainlink dog pen getting poked with sticks so I don't really blame him) that after a year has finally decided that occasionally he can tolerate me. We also have an assortment of cats and dogs.
DH and I are retired (military), have a huge garden, the start of a small orchard, and hopefully this year will be building a real barn! Some of our animals are for meat only, some are for eggs and meat, dairy, some are occasionally singled out as exceptional pet quality, and they are all spoiled rotten. My gilt weighs 550+ pounds and has never met an electric wire ~ she stays happily in the piggy digs inside her hog panels, barks like a dog, occasionally tries to crow with the roosters, and expects every human that wanders by to scratch behind her ears.
We've been aiming for sustainable living. We've built our home by ourselves (in a self contract state), built my mom a home. I do all of our baking, cheesemaking, canning and dehydrating, etc. as far as food. We process our meat animals together. DH is a knifemaker/blacksmith and pretty much can build or fix anything that I've managed to challenge him with. Now that I'm not lurking, I'll try and post some. I'm usually pretty tired in the evenings and just read
