Howdy howdy!
Funny, I never took the time to post my introduction here....perhaps because I was so caught up in my world...okay, so HI! I am Samantha-...this is how this mess all began...and when I am done, we are all going to stand up and say here is your chip, welcome to CA- "Chickens Anonymous!" So this all began by moving to Wilton years ago to a home that has a BEAUTIFUL coop already present. Whatever shall I do! Since my teenagers did not see the humor in moving out there to give mom peace and quiet, I have NO idea why not....picky I guess, I had to do something with this area on my land. FILL IT! So this past year I made the sound, obviously not so thought out decision to purchase chickens from my feed store. So myself and two of my 6 kids go prancing up to the feed store for "A couple" of chicks...to put in...oh yeah, I forgot to mention....the ex wife who used to reside in the home tried chickens once and for that project she purchased a three-tier BROODER...it is nice, bells and whistles and all, but you know, after using it, I have to say the good ole fashioned way of doing things is so much better-lamp, shavings, and BOX in my laundry room works for me-okay, enough tangent...so I of course wanted to give the brooder a whirl....and geeze it is THREE TIER-chickens don't fill that up too much- har har...I left the feed store with 25-YES that is apparently my version of "a couple" chickens. And yes I had to explain this to the man who could only roll his eyes and sigh. Day one of my new addiction....chickens that were "99.99999% sure were all girls" .... well we can see one of my other posts to see THAT WAS WRONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG! It happens, no worries. Okay, so I come home with these babies, put them in the brooder, turn on the lamp, the lamp is stinking up the back area because all the dust on it....and the food is in and the water...i am good to go. Accomplished feeling of satisfaction and a new sense of motherhood-why I dunno, apparently 6 was not enough..."My therapist says I am doing much better
). Now what...I believe my children were expecting them to poop an egg or something because they were stunned when I brought home fur balls that pooped something, but it was not an egg. ! HA! So now, two months later, after one died in the second day, I had 24 hens...well so I thought..and they were soooo cute...and the kids and I worked with them every day when we fed and watered and such....but then I went to my GF house where she has about 100 chickens and roosters combo running around her backyard...okay, so then I am introduced to Cochins....SHUT THE FRONT DOOR these things are my new love...So for the record peeps I have ALWAYS LOVED
roosters and even painted my kitchen AROUND the colors in my rooster statue that I have for my kitchen-nothing major-only a small shrine....
...so Cochins...my GF offers me two black 1-year old cochin roosters...I am SALIVATING at the idea and of course cannot see ANY reason why not-so like the 24 hens i had going in my brooder wasnt enough....well so these guys are mine-Starsky and Hutch-who Hutch if you have read my other posts had bronchitis-lovelyyyyyyyy-but he i good again and crowin like a billionaire! Now I have put these men in my coop, to freshen it up...ha nice excuse! Time goes by, the guys are happy, I have now found out that one of my "hens" was a "roo" and I now have three males,a nd the chicks just went into the coop a couple weeks back.
Now, for me, logic didn't hit....I thought about and read about the process of introductions...and was advised...a good amount....and am finding that more and more I am taking the science out of it and going with nature...so at night, when the lights are dark, they were put into the coop, the roosters and the girls woke up together and it has been heaven since...All good on the home front.
Now, of course around me, couchins are not common in the feed stores...so imagine my excitement when I call the local stop-conveniently on my way home from work-darn! and need to pick up feed...oh and I HAPPEN to ask if they have cochins- Why yes they do....and partridge-my first desire....oh my....bantams too! Sigh, whatever shall a girl do...buy 6 and smile big when you bring them home to farmer Craig...well we should not call him that yet, Sam has not finished making him one....So I do, and this time, I put the babes in the tub in the laundry room with the light and call it good, no more brooder-anyone want to buy it? seriously! I do not like it...way too scientific for me, primarily, i do not like reaching into it to get the girls...I like being able to reach down into the tub and pick them up. I have chicken fencing on top-your typical back yard chick brooder...and I am happy.
Okay so now I have 6 more-one died a day ago, poor little babe-she was the smallest and probably just could not hang in there...So now I have 5 babies inside on top of the 26 outside....I guess I intend to bake - a lot- and entertain the locals with lots of food primarily derived from eggs..Again, for the record, and you can ALL hold me to this, I intend to downsize later....nicely, finding them new good homes..not crazy stuff. okay, so this gets better...Now, I want eggs NOW...and mention my impatience to my chicken goddess friend...she says hey I know of a few....and I picked up three more-one partridge cochin and two marans yesterday....and this morning, I got three eggs, two pale brown and one soft very pale brown. WE put the laying pellets out thank goodness, well none of them can complain it is an all you can eat buffet in the coop, bugs-chick feed-laying pellets and regular scratch, they are good to go! At this point is there something anyone can recommend that ALL of them can eat?
So that is my chicken story...Now for the rest-
See I already had two horses- two dogs, two cats (tom and a Maine coon that counts as 6 cats officially!) 6 kids and a man....now one-million chickens and last night we got our hog....of course he is for food so he will not be around too long, but he will be replaced with two weenies...in July....not to mention we share 9 goats with our neighbors....So does Man qualify as a farmer YET????
So I love to chat, love to learn about new things...apparently I plan to learn a lot about chickens....and love to sit and stare at my birds...tonight I plan to put my lawn chairs inside the coop to hang with the girls! is there anything wrong with this picture???
Take care ya'al! ~ Sam
Funny, I never took the time to post my introduction here....perhaps because I was so caught up in my world...okay, so HI! I am Samantha-...this is how this mess all began...and when I am done, we are all going to stand up and say here is your chip, welcome to CA- "Chickens Anonymous!" So this all began by moving to Wilton years ago to a home that has a BEAUTIFUL coop already present. Whatever shall I do! Since my teenagers did not see the humor in moving out there to give mom peace and quiet, I have NO idea why not....picky I guess, I had to do something with this area on my land. FILL IT! So this past year I made the sound, obviously not so thought out decision to purchase chickens from my feed store. So myself and two of my 6 kids go prancing up to the feed store for "A couple" of chicks...to put in...oh yeah, I forgot to mention....the ex wife who used to reside in the home tried chickens once and for that project she purchased a three-tier BROODER...it is nice, bells and whistles and all, but you know, after using it, I have to say the good ole fashioned way of doing things is so much better-lamp, shavings, and BOX in my laundry room works for me-okay, enough tangent...so I of course wanted to give the brooder a whirl....and geeze it is THREE TIER-chickens don't fill that up too much- har har...I left the feed store with 25-YES that is apparently my version of "a couple" chickens. And yes I had to explain this to the man who could only roll his eyes and sigh. Day one of my new addiction....chickens that were "99.99999% sure were all girls" .... well we can see one of my other posts to see THAT WAS WRONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG! It happens, no worries. Okay, so I come home with these babies, put them in the brooder, turn on the lamp, the lamp is stinking up the back area because all the dust on it....and the food is in and the water...i am good to go. Accomplished feeling of satisfaction and a new sense of motherhood-why I dunno, apparently 6 was not enough..."My therapist says I am doing much better
Now, for me, logic didn't hit....I thought about and read about the process of introductions...and was advised...a good amount....and am finding that more and more I am taking the science out of it and going with nature...so at night, when the lights are dark, they were put into the coop, the roosters and the girls woke up together and it has been heaven since...All good on the home front.
Now, of course around me, couchins are not common in the feed stores...so imagine my excitement when I call the local stop-conveniently on my way home from work-darn! and need to pick up feed...oh and I HAPPEN to ask if they have cochins- Why yes they do....and partridge-my first desire....oh my....bantams too! Sigh, whatever shall a girl do...buy 6 and smile big when you bring them home to farmer Craig...well we should not call him that yet, Sam has not finished making him one....So I do, and this time, I put the babes in the tub in the laundry room with the light and call it good, no more brooder-anyone want to buy it? seriously! I do not like it...way too scientific for me, primarily, i do not like reaching into it to get the girls...I like being able to reach down into the tub and pick them up. I have chicken fencing on top-your typical back yard chick brooder...and I am happy.
Okay so now I have 6 more-one died a day ago, poor little babe-she was the smallest and probably just could not hang in there...So now I have 5 babies inside on top of the 26 outside....I guess I intend to bake - a lot- and entertain the locals with lots of food primarily derived from eggs..Again, for the record, and you can ALL hold me to this, I intend to downsize later....nicely, finding them new good homes..not crazy stuff. okay, so this gets better...Now, I want eggs NOW...and mention my impatience to my chicken goddess friend...she says hey I know of a few....and I picked up three more-one partridge cochin and two marans yesterday....and this morning, I got three eggs, two pale brown and one soft very pale brown. WE put the laying pellets out thank goodness, well none of them can complain it is an all you can eat buffet in the coop, bugs-chick feed-laying pellets and regular scratch, they are good to go! At this point is there something anyone can recommend that ALL of them can eat?
So that is my chicken story...Now for the rest-
See I already had two horses- two dogs, two cats (tom and a Maine coon that counts as 6 cats officially!) 6 kids and a man....now one-million chickens and last night we got our hog....of course he is for food so he will not be around too long, but he will be replaced with two weenies...in July....not to mention we share 9 goats with our neighbors....So does Man qualify as a farmer YET????
So I love to chat, love to learn about new things...apparently I plan to learn a lot about chickens....and love to sit and stare at my birds...tonight I plan to put my lawn chairs inside the coop to hang with the girls! is there anything wrong with this picture???
from Ohio. So glad you joined. What a wonderful introduction. You have come to the right place. Congrats and have fun. 
