Hello, I'm Ashley.
I've been reading information from BackYard Chickens ever since my family and I have decided to try and make a homestead here in Florida. With the pandemic, we got set back pretty far financially. So it delayed our land purchase, which led to us having to search for land all over again (still searching for the right parcel (; ). Well, while we hit a rut, our friends seemed to have a better-dealt hand and purchased a nice parcel not to far from where I stay. Convenient right? I was excited to go see their land and how far they have come. Last week I finally got the chance. And much to my surprise, they had chickens! I later found out their neighbor gave them to him from a clutch of incubated eggs, his excuse being they tore up his yard too much. My kids loved the fact there were chickens, and so did I. But as I walked around and observed their behavior with the chickens, I could tell, they were first-time chicken owners. So I asked them some basic questions...The first being "Do you have a rooster?". I mean out of 19 there had to be a rooster. The chickens looked small, but I'm from Indiana, maybe the chickens there are just fluffier or something. My mom and her twin sister would pick up chicks every spring and raise them. (Until they learned about the cheap incubators, which actually had a high hatch rate now that I think about it.) Or maybe they just turned the eggs a lot. I don't know I was young, anyways back to the point... They went and bought a $150 incubator. Then returned it the same day after they "Checked" their flock to see if they had a rooster, which they thought they didn't. Next time I'm there I will try and get a picture of every one of the chickens. Anyways....Turns out they have 2 roosters. An Americana and a Plymouth rock. Well, they want multiple flocks to move around their multiple acres, in huge free range fences...(I think they watched way too many youtube videos and got too excited.) But they had already started several other projects that needed their full attention (I.e Fencing in the entire property and running electricity to the farther acres, tree planting, etc) I tried to explain and give tips, and advice...but You know how new chicken owners can be, you gotta learn from your mistakes right? Since I plan on getting my own homestead over the next couple of months..I figured, why not offer to incubate a couple of the eggs to see if the roosters were even fertile to begin with. (The chickens look... not well fed, or watered). But being as we are kind of "Newish" friends...I wasn't about to go all bat shit crazy on them like i wanted to. He has it in his head that they only need one feeder (in their coop) and one water container (In the coop) and that since right now the chickens have full run of the 4+ acres they will eat bugs and grass to stay healthy. My jaw almost hit the floor literally. On our next visit, I brought a case of bottled water for the kids and myself while my husband helped out around the "farm".... The chickens follow me and my kids everywhere whenever we are there. I don't know if it's our attitudes or gentle nature towards them? I can get them out of the neighbor's yard with the chicken call my mom would use to call hers in for the night and they come to it, but they will NOT go to their owners unless they have handfuls of dried mealworm treats to lead the way to the coop. Well, while me and the kids ate our lunch the chickens were actually hungry enough to try and steal food, but Sugar Plum was not allowing them to thank goodness. When the hens finally tired down from surrounding us and getting chased back by Sugar plum, I noticed the chickens were sitting with their mouths open, clearly panting. So I found a little planter tipped it on its side and poured a bottle of water into it...Sugar plum was the first to dive for the water..after she was done, the rest was allowed to drink. They spilled it and kept knocking it over but they drank and drank, and even started digging at the ground to try and get the water that had absorbed there. It was 95 degrees out that day...... This made me fall in love with them, especially Sugar Plum (my kids named her) the buff Orpington hen that won't let the roosters or any other hens close to my kids. When my kids approach her she lays down and kind of "Purrs" and just stays there and enjoys the company. I hope out of the 6 eggs he gave me to test that at least one is a female version of her. The dad is the Americauna, the Plymouth Rock rooster only courts the two black hens that wont let me close to them. I think they are a silkie mix...they have the face feather tufts but not the fuzzy feet. The eggs are 5 days in, I candled them on day 4, and sure enough all of them had a tiny dark spot with small veins and a healthy air sac (though i know the hatch rate will be low.) His wife said I could start my own coop and run there if I wished. She said I could even keep them separate from the others and feed them a diet of my preference etc. She eventually wants me to hatch her some peafowl eggs, for her future "Homestead Bed and Breakfast" in the making. She even offered to pay me for my time it will take to hatch and grow out the chicks, and the money I spent on the "cheaper" little giant still air incubator. I nicely refused, I'm in it for the chicks
get it? ahahhahha
I've been reading information from BackYard Chickens ever since my family and I have decided to try and make a homestead here in Florida. With the pandemic, we got set back pretty far financially. So it delayed our land purchase, which led to us having to search for land all over again (still searching for the right parcel (; ). Well, while we hit a rut, our friends seemed to have a better-dealt hand and purchased a nice parcel not to far from where I stay. Convenient right? I was excited to go see their land and how far they have come. Last week I finally got the chance. And much to my surprise, they had chickens! I later found out their neighbor gave them to him from a clutch of incubated eggs, his excuse being they tore up his yard too much. My kids loved the fact there were chickens, and so did I. But as I walked around and observed their behavior with the chickens, I could tell, they were first-time chicken owners. So I asked them some basic questions...The first being "Do you have a rooster?". I mean out of 19 there had to be a rooster. The chickens looked small, but I'm from Indiana, maybe the chickens there are just fluffier or something. My mom and her twin sister would pick up chicks every spring and raise them. (Until they learned about the cheap incubators, which actually had a high hatch rate now that I think about it.) Or maybe they just turned the eggs a lot. I don't know I was young, anyways back to the point... They went and bought a $150 incubator. Then returned it the same day after they "Checked" their flock to see if they had a rooster, which they thought they didn't. Next time I'm there I will try and get a picture of every one of the chickens. Anyways....Turns out they have 2 roosters. An Americana and a Plymouth rock. Well, they want multiple flocks to move around their multiple acres, in huge free range fences...(I think they watched way too many youtube videos and got too excited.) But they had already started several other projects that needed their full attention (I.e Fencing in the entire property and running electricity to the farther acres, tree planting, etc) I tried to explain and give tips, and advice...but You know how new chicken owners can be, you gotta learn from your mistakes right? Since I plan on getting my own homestead over the next couple of months..I figured, why not offer to incubate a couple of the eggs to see if the roosters were even fertile to begin with. (The chickens look... not well fed, or watered). But being as we are kind of "Newish" friends...I wasn't about to go all bat shit crazy on them like i wanted to. He has it in his head that they only need one feeder (in their coop) and one water container (In the coop) and that since right now the chickens have full run of the 4+ acres they will eat bugs and grass to stay healthy. My jaw almost hit the floor literally. On our next visit, I brought a case of bottled water for the kids and myself while my husband helped out around the "farm".... The chickens follow me and my kids everywhere whenever we are there. I don't know if it's our attitudes or gentle nature towards them? I can get them out of the neighbor's yard with the chicken call my mom would use to call hers in for the night and they come to it, but they will NOT go to their owners unless they have handfuls of dried mealworm treats to lead the way to the coop. Well, while me and the kids ate our lunch the chickens were actually hungry enough to try and steal food, but Sugar Plum was not allowing them to thank goodness. When the hens finally tired down from surrounding us and getting chased back by Sugar plum, I noticed the chickens were sitting with their mouths open, clearly panting. So I found a little planter tipped it on its side and poured a bottle of water into it...Sugar plum was the first to dive for the water..after she was done, the rest was allowed to drink. They spilled it and kept knocking it over but they drank and drank, and even started digging at the ground to try and get the water that had absorbed there. It was 95 degrees out that day...... This made me fall in love with them, especially Sugar Plum (my kids named her) the buff Orpington hen that won't let the roosters or any other hens close to my kids. When my kids approach her she lays down and kind of "Purrs" and just stays there and enjoys the company. I hope out of the 6 eggs he gave me to test that at least one is a female version of her. The dad is the Americauna, the Plymouth Rock rooster only courts the two black hens that wont let me close to them. I think they are a silkie mix...they have the face feather tufts but not the fuzzy feet. The eggs are 5 days in, I candled them on day 4, and sure enough all of them had a tiny dark spot with small veins and a healthy air sac (though i know the hatch rate will be low.) His wife said I could start my own coop and run there if I wished. She said I could even keep them separate from the others and feed them a diet of my preference etc. She eventually wants me to hatch her some peafowl eggs, for her future "Homestead Bed and Breakfast" in the making. She even offered to pay me for my time it will take to hatch and grow out the chicks, and the money I spent on the "cheaper" little giant still air incubator. I nicely refused, I'm in it for the chicks
get it? ahahhahha
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Hello Ashley and welcome to BYC, You found an Awesome poultry Forum to be a part of with many great knowledgeable members who are more then willing to jump in and help you with any questions you may have. 
Awesome introduction!
Glad you joined.
