Hey there! I'm Jesse Harrison

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Jesse Harrison

In the Brooder
Jun 2, 2023
3
32
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Hi, there! I am Jesse Harrison, and I am new to Backyard Chickens! I am fairly new to raising chickens. Like many of us, I got my chickens as a project to keep me busy during the pandemic. I raised my first chicks starting in May of 2021, and I raised another batch this spring, and I will be raising another batch this summer. I love raising chicks, it is so satisfying getting to see your work result in happy, healthy, growing babies! And they grow quickly! Right now, in my coop, I have 2 Starlight Green Eggers, 1 New Hampshire Red, 2 Production Reds (1 of which is in isolation, poor girl), and 1 White Leghorn. The last three are chicks from my most recent batch of chicks and the 2 Production Reds will be going to their forever home tomorrow, if all goes well, just like their sisters did a couple of weeks ago. I love so many things about keeping hens in my backyard, I doubt I will be able to list them all, but some of my favorite parts include seeing how quickly the chicks grow, getting the fresh eggs, keeping busy with all the building projects I have excuses to make, but all of those are obvious. I find there are also less obvious benefits, too, such as the pride my kids have in being the house with chickens, the many conversations I have had with neighbors over keeping chickens, fewer bugs in my yard, and getting to show off my beautiful girls to anyone who will listen. Some of my other hobbies include gardening, especially fruits and vegetables, which works well with chickens since their used bedding composts really well and becomes great fertilizer, but also if I grow a food that no one in my house cares for, the chickens will love it! I also love to run, to hike, to do needlework and crafting, and to build things. I am also an actor and a singer. I mostly do this as a hobby, but I have a degree in Vocal Performance, and take paying gigs whenever I can. My family consists of me and my husband (who is afraid of chickens, but still helps me whenever he can when he is needed), our 3 kids, 2 cats, and a dog. And that is just who lives in our house, it is a crazy full house and we love it. I do get work acting and singing, and in between gigs I work as a voice teacher. I found BYC when I was just looking into keeping chickens for the first time (which was probably 5 or 6 years ago), and I have joined today because I need some help with more successfully integrating chicks into my flock. So excited to be a part of this community!
 
Jesse Harrison said:
Hi, there! I am Jesse Harrison, and I am new to Backyard Chickens! I am fairly new to raising chickens. Like many of us, I got my chickens as a project to keep me busy during the pandemic. I raised my first chicks starting in May of 2021, and I raised another batch this spring, and I will be raising another batch this summer. I love raising chicks, it is so satisfying getting to see your work result in happy, healthy, growing babies! And they grow quickly! Right now, in my coop, I have 2 Starlight Green Eggers, 1 New Hampshire Red, 2 Production Reds (1 of which is in isolation, poor girl), and 1 White Leghorn. The last three are chicks from my most recent batch of chicks and the 2 Production Reds will be going to their forever home tomorrow, if all goes well, just like their sisters did a couple of weeks ago. I love so many things about keeping hens in my backyard, I doubt I will be able to list them all, but some of my favorite parts include seeing how quickly the chicks grow, getting the fresh eggs, keeping busy with all the building projects I have excuses to make, but all of those are obvious. I find there are also less obvious benefits, too, such as the pride my kids have in being the house with chickens, the many conversations I have had with neighbors over keeping chickens, fewer bugs in my yard, and getting to show off my beautiful girls to anyone who will listen. Some of my other hobbies include gardening, especially fruits and vegetables, which works well with chickens since their used bedding composts really well and becomes great fertilizer, but also if I grow a food that no one in my house cares for, the chickens will love it! I also love to run, to hike, to do needlework and crafting, and to build things. I am also an actor and a singer. I mostly do this as a hobby, but I have a degree in Vocal Performance, and take paying gigs whenever I can. My family consists of me and my husband (who is afraid of chickens, but still helps me whenever he can when he is needed), our 3 kids, 2 cats, and a dog. And that is just who lives in our house, it is a crazy full house and we love it. I do get work acting and singing, and in between gigs I work as a voice teacher. I found BYC when I was just looking into keeping chickens for the first time (which was probably 5 or 6 years ago), and I have joined today because I need some help with more successfully integrating chicks into my flock. So excited to be a part of this community!
Click to expand...
Welcome to BYC!!
 
Hello Jesse and welcome to BYC! :frow

Nice introduction! Good luck with the integration, definitely use the "see but don't touch" method keeping new birds in a cage or fenced off area for 2 weeks. They all see but can't touch. When you do mix them, put out extra food and water stations so they don't get chased away, lots of hidy places to escape and if it turns bloody, separate out the bully for a while. It can take a few months sometimes to get the peace to return to your flock.

Welcome to our community!
 
TwoCrows said:
Hello Jesse and welcome to BYC! :frow

Nice introduction! Good luck with the integration, definitely use the "see but don't touch" method keeping new birds in a cage or fenced off area for 2 weeks. They all see but can't touch. When you do mix them, put out extra food and water stations so they don't get chased away, lots of hidy places to escape and if it turns bloody, separate out the bully for a while. It can take a few months sometimes to get the peace to return to your flock.

Welcome to our community!
Click to expand...
They have been in there for over 2 weeks now, and today was the first time that any of the chicks went into the run. She got pecked bloody (only because I wasn't awake when this all happened at 5:45 this morning), and now she is in isolation. I will add more food and water stations and some hidey holes throughout the run should also help, I think. Man, chickens are jerks.
 
Jesse Harrison said:
They have been in there for over 2 weeks now, and today was the first time that any of the chicks went into the run. She got pecked bloody (only because I wasn't awake when this all happened at 5:45 this morning), and now she is in isolation. I will add more food and water stations and some hidey holes throughout the run should also help, I think. Man, chickens are jerks.
Click to expand...
It's so unfortunate that chickens don't like new members being added to their flock. I love adding chickens but it's a lot of work on our part. They have a pecking order and they stick to it intensely. Definitely keep the pecked chick separate but within the flock, until the wounds heal as the others will go after blood and open wounds.
 
Jesse Harrison said:
Hi, there! I am Jesse Harrison, and I am new to Backyard Chickens! I am fairly new to raising chickens. Like many of us, I got my chickens as a project to keep me busy during the pandemic. I raised my first chicks starting in May of 2021, and I raised another batch this spring, and I will be raising another batch this summer. I love raising chicks, it is so satisfying getting to see your work result in happy, healthy, growing babies! And they grow quickly! Right now, in my coop, I have 2 Starlight Green Eggers, 1 New Hampshire Red, 2 Production Reds (1 of which is in isolation, poor girl), and 1 White Leghorn. The last three are chicks from my most recent batch of chicks and the 2 Production Reds will be going to their forever home tomorrow, if all goes well, just like their sisters did a couple of weeks ago. I love so many things about keeping hens in my backyard, I doubt I will be able to list them all, but some of my favorite parts include seeing how quickly the chicks grow, getting the fresh eggs, keeping busy with all the building projects I have excuses to make, but all of those are obvious. I find there are also less obvious benefits, too, such as the pride my kids have in being the house with chickens, the many conversations I have had with neighbors over keeping chickens, fewer bugs in my yard, and getting to show off my beautiful girls to anyone who will listen. Some of my other hobbies include gardening, especially fruits and vegetables, which works well with chickens since their used bedding composts really well and becomes great fertilizer, but also if I grow a food that no one in my house cares for, the chickens will love it! I also love to run, to hike, to do needlework and crafting, and to build things. I am also an actor and a singer. I mostly do this as a hobby, but I have a degree in Vocal Performance, and take paying gigs whenever I can. My family consists of me and my husband (who is afraid of chickens, but still helps me whenever he can when he is needed), our 3 kids, 2 cats, and a dog. And that is just who lives in our house, it is a crazy full house and we love it. I do get work acting and singing, and in between gigs I work as a voice teacher. I found BYC when I was just looking into keeping chickens for the first time (which was probably 5 or 6 years ago), and I have joined today because I need some help with more successfully integrating chicks into my flock. So excited to be a part of this community!
Click to expand...
Welcome to BYC!!
 

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