BelleOaks
In the Brooder
Hello from Belle Oaks Natural Farms! We are located in Piedmont, SC (10 minutes from Greenville) and have a 6 acre mini-farm. Here's a little bit about us:
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
We purchased our first chickens about a year and half ago. Let's just say that our flock tripled in size since then! Over the weekend, we purchased a BCM breeding program from Magnolia Marans in Spartanburg, SC. So, we are not new to chicken, but new to being breeders.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
In our breeding program, we have about 30. (add about 30-ish babies between a day old and 8 weeks old) . We also have about 40-50 free range hens. Oh, we brought 8 silkies home from the breeder too! (what's a few more....) . So, less than 100, more than 80 hens/roosters.....and then the babies that are for sale.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Our breeding program: Black, Blue and Splash Copper Maran (Bev Davis line)
Breeding bonus: Some Silkies came with our Marans!
Our free range girls: Barred Rock, Easter Egger, Americauna, Olive Egger, Cream Legbar, Welsummer, Penedesenca, White Leghorn, Cuckoo Maran, Black Copper Marans, Golden Comet, Rhode Island Red....I think that's everyone?
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
I love their little personalities! They are extremely helpful around our small farm and add so much to our soil life.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Oh, besides all things chickens.....I love learning, reading, genealogy, and painting.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
We are first generation farmers and are learning our way through less than two years of experience. With our family of six, my husband works full time and I work as a part time tutor so I can manage the farm. Two of our girls are in college and we have two in school. In addition to chickens, we grow microgreens, have a garden, and raise heritage breed goats and pigs alongside our five dogs (one being a LGD).
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I was researching chicken coops/runs for our Maran breeding program and then started down the rabbit hole of BYC. What a wonderful support group! We are thrilled to learn from everyone!
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
We purchased our first chickens about a year and half ago. Let's just say that our flock tripled in size since then! Over the weekend, we purchased a BCM breeding program from Magnolia Marans in Spartanburg, SC. So, we are not new to chicken, but new to being breeders.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
In our breeding program, we have about 30. (add about 30-ish babies between a day old and 8 weeks old) . We also have about 40-50 free range hens. Oh, we brought 8 silkies home from the breeder too! (what's a few more....) . So, less than 100, more than 80 hens/roosters.....and then the babies that are for sale.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Our breeding program: Black, Blue and Splash Copper Maran (Bev Davis line)
Breeding bonus: Some Silkies came with our Marans!
Our free range girls: Barred Rock, Easter Egger, Americauna, Olive Egger, Cream Legbar, Welsummer, Penedesenca, White Leghorn, Cuckoo Maran, Black Copper Marans, Golden Comet, Rhode Island Red....I think that's everyone?
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
I love their little personalities! They are extremely helpful around our small farm and add so much to our soil life.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Oh, besides all things chickens.....I love learning, reading, genealogy, and painting.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
We are first generation farmers and are learning our way through less than two years of experience. With our family of six, my husband works full time and I work as a part time tutor so I can manage the farm. Two of our girls are in college and we have two in school. In addition to chickens, we grow microgreens, have a garden, and raise heritage breed goats and pigs alongside our five dogs (one being a LGD).
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?

I was researching chicken coops/runs for our Maran breeding program and then started down the rabbit hole of BYC. What a wonderful support group! We are thrilled to learn from everyone!