Hello from the Midwest!

[LizzyRose]

I’m new here, but I’ve seen your site occasionally. I’m getting older now, but when I was a young woman I had chickens for awhile. They were free range, and I taught my kids to do the float test as they searched for the hens hidey holes in the woods. We had no predators bother us except for ranging dogs.
This year I got involved with a chicken rental program, where I rent the coop and two hens for 6 months. They come and get them in the fall, and the hens stay ‘down on the farm’ till the following spring. That way I won’t have my knee replacement Surgeon yelling at me if he finds I’ve been out with my new knee in the snow and ice!
I have outdoor cats who come in the garage to get fed, so I don’t have to get out in the ice and snow to care for them. However, my husband is still trying to figure out who shovels trails thru the snow to the cats’ trails going to their shelters and leading off into the woods!
The rental program is a little pricey, so I’m going to post a thread about the best brands of coops. Unfortunately I can’t afford Eglus or Formex brands, it will have to be wood.
Thanks, I’m looking forward to using this site!
LizzyRose

 

[DobieLover]

Hello LizzyRose and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
I've read about that chicken rental program before. That's pretty neat.

 

[JedJackson]

Welcome to BYC. It sounds like you've come up with a great solution to owning chickens for your circumstances. I look forward to reading what you have to say about the subject, as it is one I've not heard much about. Enjoy the website!

 

[KLIL]

Hello and Welcome to BYC!
Lovely to meet you

 

[MissChick@dee]

Hiya
Nice to meet you!

 

[LizzyRose]

Hello LizzyRose and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
I've read about that chicken rental program before. That's pretty neat.

Thanks! If I own my own coop, I can keep renting hens-only every spring. Their standard package includes a coop which is super safe and nice looking, but it would save me in the long run to own my own.
BTW does your name ‘Dobie’ refer to Dobermans? My parents raised Dobes.

 

[alexa009]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens, Lizzy! We are glad you joined the flock! BYC is a helpful site providing all of the information you need to know about poultry. There is always space for members on the BYC roost!
Hopefully things will work out better with your new knee replacement. Renting chickens is a wonderful solution in this case.

Hope you enjoy it here as much as we all do!

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC.
We are glad you joined this flock!
Jump right in and make yourself at home.

This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

Coop Ideas:
Chicken Coops

BYC has an APP!

 

[DobieLover]

BTW does your name ‘Dobie’ refer to Dobermans? My parents raised Dobes.

Yes it does! The boy in my avatar is my current one. He is blue and his name is Ben.
I've been rescuing Dobermans since 1996.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC.