Hi! I got some baby chicks about 3.5 weeks ago, then a few more. The plan is to finish the coop this week, build a temporary run for them until they are old enough to fully free range. We hope to harvest eggs year round and cull the roosters/old hens for meat (sorry in advance if that offends anyone). Their coop is in a fenced in backyard but they will be able to roam about 8-9 acres of grassy area surrounded by woods. The area is kind of old mini farmland surrounded by communities/neighborhoods whatever you call them.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
No I am not new to chickens although it has been 18 years since I had chickens and am new to free ranging and coop concepts. My family ran a chicken farm and when my parents retired the chicken farming we raised chickens and many other animals strictly as pets only.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
12!! Looks like several roosters so far.
(3) What breeds do you have?
3 white leghorns, 1 columbian Wyandotte, 8 brahmas of 3 different colors
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Good tasting eggs! Chickens have wonderful characters, they're entertaining to watch, insect control, pass some chicken raising knowledge/life experience on to my kids, fertilizer for the garden (hope I can keep the chickens out of it lol)...
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Learning how to garden (vegetables), rat breeding, fishkeeping, crocheting, reading, DIYing new things that I can safely learn to do, hiking..
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Have two kids, 3 cats, we also have a 40g tank with nano fish, a few reptiles, a few rats, dwarf hamsters, powder puff isopods.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
Found it because whenever I googled anything about chickens, BYC kept popping up so here I am. It's been awhile and there's some knowledge gaps and questions I have.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
No I am not new to chickens although it has been 18 years since I had chickens and am new to free ranging and coop concepts. My family ran a chicken farm and when my parents retired the chicken farming we raised chickens and many other animals strictly as pets only.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
12!! Looks like several roosters so far.
(3) What breeds do you have?
3 white leghorns, 1 columbian Wyandotte, 8 brahmas of 3 different colors
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Good tasting eggs! Chickens have wonderful characters, they're entertaining to watch, insect control, pass some chicken raising knowledge/life experience on to my kids, fertilizer for the garden (hope I can keep the chickens out of it lol)...
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Learning how to garden (vegetables), rat breeding, fishkeeping, crocheting, reading, DIYing new things that I can safely learn to do, hiking..
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Have two kids, 3 cats, we also have a 40g tank with nano fish, a few reptiles, a few rats, dwarf hamsters, powder puff isopods.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
Found it because whenever I googled anything about chickens, BYC kept popping up so here I am. It's been awhile and there's some knowledge gaps and questions I have.
Glad you joined.
