Hello from the West Coast of BC, Canada!

MillstoneAcres

Chirping
7 Years
Apr 1, 2014
10
17
94
Hello! I'm sort of new to this site - I signed up awhile ago but only just started to look around. I'm on the West Coast of Canada and have had backyard chickens since 1998 when I got 4 super cute silkies as a kid. Now I own my own 5 acre hobby farm and have about 55 layers, 2 peacocks, 3 ducks, and recently a ring neck hen.



Currently I have buff orphingtons, lavender orphingtons (those were hard to find on the West Coast!), Black Copper Marans, Cuckoo Marans, Americaunas, Rhode Islands, Hylines, Silkies, Wheaten Isa, Olive Eggers, Plymouth Rocks, Old Engish Games, Easter Eggers, Columbia Rocks, and a few barnyard mixes.



Non-chicken birds are my 12 year old Indian Blue Peacock and my 3 year old White Peacock (both males), three Giant Pekin Ducks, and last weekend I bought a Ring Neck Pheseant hen (which may be a problem as it caused some problems between my boys!). I do not have roosters as my peacock always did an excellent job protecting my hens. I really appreciate my hens hard work and in the past when I had roosters I hated to see them chase and harass the girls. All my birds live together happily, no fighting, etc.



Sometimes I chicken-sit for neighbors going out of town. Used to drive me nut as you used to have to be there just at the right times in the am and pm to open and close doors/hatches and fill up waters at least once a day in all the tractors. I really enjoy my birds but I do not enjoy chickens controlling my schedule... for this reason we have a 1600SF coop and run that is secure so we don't need to open and close them up or plan our schedule around them. This makes life easier and I worry much less! They free range as well when we are around but the bald eagles are frequently out so we have to be watching them closely. We sell eggs on the road to help with our farm status, along with raising sheep, horses, and in the past, cows.



I've hatched eggs under my broody hens, however have recently considered getting an incubator as I think it would be fun - and easier to plan! Currently I have my silkie hen sitting on one duck egg. She was sitting on a rock but I swapped it out the other day with a real egg as last year we bought a male Pekin and he looks male, talks male, acts male (wink wink), but sometimes I get THREE eggs a day. So I have a lingering doubt about his sex. Figured easiest way to see is if the egg is fertilized! And who doesn't love ducklings! We don't have a lot of Pekins where I am so was really hoping to breed and sell them.
>>> IF ANYBODY CAN SUGGEST AN AFFORDABLE EASY TO USE INCUBATOR I'D LOVE SUGGESTIONS <<<



Last year I finally talked my hubby into building me a new coop with the increased bald eagles in the area and he built me this (cheap/affordable) coop which I LOVE:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/our-cheap-log-chicken-coop

Here is a photo taken a couple weeks ago of my girls enjoying a free range around the yard. You can see the awesome Bald Eagle nesting tree in the background. Aren't I lucky...
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I love looking at cute coop ideas but lets face it, they don't stay pretty for long! Birds are messy and stinky, they destroy grass if they are on it long enough, and nobody is going to let their kid lay down in their chickens bedding once they've lived in it for a week and read them a book! I would LOVE to see more photos of new coops built once the birds have actually be living in it!

I really envy the East USA Coast as when I was travelling there a couple years ago it was SO easy to find a variety of chicken breeds (inexpensively compared to here!) and this is where I first saw Lavender Ophs. I have always had a soft spot for pheasants and would love to get more variety, but would need another coop! I do believe bird people are the craziest ;)


^Shopping for birds in the USA made easy! ^My babies that year

I'm currently working on a Chicken Behavior and Welfare course offered online, just for fun! I'm always interested in learning more and having fun with the birds. My biggest goal is that my birds are safe and happy!


^Giant Pekin Easter Eggs!

 
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So glad I found you again. I was about to post a reply when I saw the link to your coop and of course clicked on. Wow, what a well thought out farm/ranch you have. I love the log cabin coop - Your husband should build more and you could rent them out as small guest houses. City folks would love some country experience.

You have some great ideas regarding security. I got so involved in that, when I closed it out I realized, I didn't know who I to answer.

Luckily the first post I clicked turned out to be you. I'm never incubated so couldn't advise you there. You might check the "Canadians check-in-here," thread to see what brands others around you use. Maybe some greetings coming along with have incubator experience.

Welcome to Backyard Chickens.
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.
Oh my goodness I LOVE your pictures!!
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I'm really into photography myself so I just love your's!

Two Crows has given you a good link t check out. Best of luck to you.
 
Thanks Drumstick Diva! We do say safety first around here. That being said, I do have my white peacock up a tree as he doesn't want to come in the last couple days! And he doesn't exactly blend into the tree!!! I have to round him up tonight. All our horse shelters are log too... I'm pretty sure they will outlast my house!!!

Thanks everybody else, especially for the links to the incubator info.
 
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