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Tatuana

Tatuana

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Joined
Dec 30, 2018
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Location
Utah
Hello everyone! I'm here unexpectedly after a wonderful Christmas gift. I've had the horrible, horrible 'itch' to mother small animals again. I've had baby kittens for as long as I can remember. The last kitty got fixed several years ago and I've had empty nest syndrome off and on ever since. I don't want the adults - my herd is FULL - but I rescuing things. My wonderful mother decided to get me an egg incubator for Christmas, as well as order some eggs for me. She knows I won't get toooo attached to chickens so if something happens I won't be upset for months. (I don't mean that to sound cruel! Honest!)

(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?

I'm expecting the eggs to turn up sometime this week. Due to the area we live in my mother had to order some online. I feel like I've read everything online regarding chickens and eggs, and am still nervous! I hope to have chickens for ages to come.

(2) How many chickens do you have right now?

She ordered 13 eggs, plus whatever else will fit in the package. Fingers crossed that I get at least one chick!


(3) What breeds do you have?

She ordered a mystery mix for me. It could have anything from black chickens, to Silkies, to generic mixes. I won't know the breeds until the egg hatches, per my request. I don't want to adopt one breed of chicken based on looks, which I'm prone to do. This way I'll love them for them, not their meat/eggs/funky chicken looks. I can't miss what I didn't know I had, I suppose. (Again, I fully admit this is a weird way to approach chickens.)

(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?

I'm excited to try something new, I think. This is going to sound weird, but I'm also really looking forward to making someone smile by giving them the chickens when they're too old to keep. I'm really looking forward to all the surprises that a 'barnyard' type animal will bring me. I'm really hoping it'll teach me about 'farm' type life as well. I've spent so much time with furry animals, now I'd like to get to know our feathered friends as well.

(5) What are some of your other hobbies?

I spend far too much time reading. At least two or three hours a day. I also like playing video games (Guilty of being from 'that' generation). When I'm not doing either of those I'm usually either playing with my cats, or burrowed deep in a fabric shop. I *love* to design costumes - cosplay, theater, daily wear, I'll make it all. I also enjoy spending time with kids when I get the chance. When I need outdoor time I love to go rock hunting, exploring our canyons, or digging in the dirt.

(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.

I have nine cats who I ended up rescuing. They all found me somehow. I also have two cockatiels I also rescued, four finches, a rescued leopard gecko, and I'm sure I have other things I'm forgetting. Each one just happened to turn up, and I happen to have the room to support them. I'm now known as the crazy cat lady who will rescue something if you need a home quick. I love doing rehab work with all of my furry friends, as well as the others.

I just got married in November to a wonderful British man, who is back home until his visa gets approved. We don't expect to see each other in person for another year at least. After 12 years of knowing each other a year is a drop in the bucket.

I also have very serious anxiety mixed with some other issues. I always over think things, write too much, or come off as super hyper/immature. I'm aware of this, and I've accepted it as a part of me. I'm working to tone it down so I hopefully don't annoy the entire internet.



I look forward to driving you all insane with questions, and hopefully raising my own beautiful birds!
 
Hi and welcome to BYC and congrats on marrying a British fella - they are simply beyond compare :D

I wish you all the best with your incubation. This forum is likely to best place to ask any questions that you may have - https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/incubating-hatching-eggs.5/

On this link you'll find lots of information on almost every aspect of keeping birds - from coop building ideas, to incubating eggs - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/

Each week, various topics are discussed, which can be a great resource - https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archives . Ditto the Learning Centre - https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/

This is a useful link of BYC guides to take a look at announcements-feedback-issues-guides.3 I’d suggest including your location using the guide in that link. You can use this link to contact members in your area - Find your State's thread.

Best wishes

Pork Pie
 
Thank you! I know I'm being over paranoid, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I like to give the animals I adopt the best chances, you know? My neighbor somehow won a baby chicken at their school several years ago. The chicken was ALWAYS in our yard. Turns out we had the best bugs. Ever since then I've been wanting my own.


My British guy has the best accent ever. *Happy sigh* It's strange, though. No swearing, no drinking, no parties. He doesn't like the taste of anything but water, and prefers to stay in with a movie than a party. He's the most un-British British person ever. Which is a win for me, personally. I'm happy staying in too.
 
Welcome to Backyard Chickens so where are you if he is in England? I wish you the very best together .. best way to incubate is get it running for two days before you put eggs in also when you get the eggs open the box make sure all are fine then leave it alone in a warm spot for two days please
 
BlueBaby said:
Chicken's will tug on your heart string's more than you know.
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That's what I'm afraid of. My Zebra finches somehow managed to lay two eggs. One hatched. The poor girl got attacked by papa soon after and her leg died. She died at two and a half weeks old. Even though she was a generic finch I cried for a week. You always hope it'll just be 'another dumb animal' but I know I'll fall in love the second the eggs arrive.

penny1960 said:
Welcome to Backyard Chickens so where are you if he is in England? I wish you the very best together .. best way to incubate is get it running for two days before you put eggs in also when you get the eggs open the box make sure all are fine then leave it alone in a warm spot for two days please
Click to expand...

I'm stuck clear over in Utah. I can't travel or I'd be over with him in a heartbeat. My therapist actually forbids me from going.

I set the incubator up earlier today. I actually joined to ask about the funky smell it had, but it went away. I keep forgetting new things smell odd for a while. I was reading the links posted above and *just* learned that the 'bottom' of the egg is actually the top. I've no idea how I missed that in all my reading, and am now very confused. :P I can't wrap my brain around the idea that the bottom is the top, even though it makes sense.

That's the other thing I was going to ask, was the eggs! I know you don't want to pop them out right away and put them in. My house runs a little cold so I want to make sure they stay warm. I'm writing up a list of things I need to hurry and research/ask tomorrow morning if my cold breaks up. The eggs won't mail until tomorrow, so I have time. I wish I could source locally!
 
drumstick diva said:
I wouldn't mind your boyfriend either, I don't smoke, drink, do recreational drugs, or party. I'd rather be home and keeping any displays of affection private.
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Yesss. I'm in "The Bubble" of Utah where there are a lot of LDS people. I saw a 'wild' vodka bottle on the sidewalk yesterday and had to take a picture because it was just so strange to see. I think I would have died of shock if he was a traditional type person. Even if you aren't religious the circles I run in its hard to come across things like that. Heck, my sister says you're considered a wild child if you've kissed a guy in her school. She's in high school.
I'm lucky he's okay with our weird norms. I've grown up to be a non drinker/swearing type person due to the culture around me, so it's a tad off putting.
 

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