Welcome Melissa! I am relatively new here as well so hi there from the border of New York and Canada!Hi, I'm Melissa from South Canterbury, New Zealand. One year ago today the husbeast and I moved from suburbia to our own little four acre piece of dirt near our old hometown.
Apologies in advance.......... I tend to ramble A LOT!
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I've had chickens for maybe 15 years. Hens only due to being in town though. Bought as adults or young pullets, never chicks.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
Right now we have five hens and one rooster.
(3) What breeds do you have?
Gubby (named by my granddaughter!) She's my oldest girl at maybe three years old. I have no idea what she is, possibly a White Leghorn
Laverne (Light Sussex)
Shirley (Minorca x Light Sussex......maybe). I hatched both Laverne and Shirley along with their rooster counterparts Russell and Big Clive 2nd October last year. These two share the title of Coop Queens. They aren't mean, they're just aren't good at sharing!
Harriet is a Hamburg x Easter Egger or Araucana. She's the sweetest girl and will follow you round like a puppy. Good thing cos she's an escape artist like you wouldn't believe! She's my smallest hen, probably only a smidge bigger than a bantam.
Bernice is a Barnevelder. She's probably my prettiest hen but sheesh that girls got an attitude! She's the grumpiest hen I've ever had. Bottom of the pecking order.
And lastly Colin. Colin was the ugliest blimmin chicken I ever saw, honestly when the girl I bought the eggs off said she'd love to have him back I was kinda pleased. Big Clive (Light Sussex) was going to be Coop Boss, he was such a stunning bird, Freaking huge boy but he decided wee Harriet was going to be his favourite gal and to be honest, I knew I'd come home one day to find her crushed or injured so sadly we said goodbye to him along with Russell and Buckbeak (an Araucana). So yeah, Colin is now Protector of the coop, he's an Easter Egger and while he's tall, he's not a hefty lad. He also likes to share the love around all the ladies and well.... to be fair, it's a wham, bam, thank you ma'am kinda deal and I doubt wee Harriet knows what happened. Harriet, Bernice and Colin hatched end of October.
In the past I've had a hodgepodge of different breeds. Pekins, misc bantams, frizzles, cochin and rescued some hylines. Some random grey hen and a blue Orpington who sadly turned into a rooster and ended up going back to my niece.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
How much fun they are. How different their personalities are and that they give me tasty eggs. I would love to start breeding but I'm having trouble deciding what I'd like to concentrate on! I'd have ALL the breeds if I thought I'd get away with it!
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I love crafts. Doesn't matter what it is, I'll give it a crack! I have so much crafting supplies it overwhelms me so I go chat to the chickens! Mainly I sew. Childrens' clothes and toys. I also like to garden..... none of that pretty flowery stuff, but veges. I love to grow things I can eat or share with my family.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I have a very understanding husband of many years. We met at high school and we have been married over 3 decades. We have an adult son who is on the spectrum like his dad. He lives in his own tiny house on our property. Our daughter just graduated with her PHD in genetics and aging and lives a few hours away with her partner and our two granddaughters. We have one cat called Nala that we got from the local SPCA and one teeny dog called Pixel who is a Petit Brabancon. Both are sadly getting on in years. There is a fish pond on the property and I have no idea how many fish are in it. The water troughs out in the paddocks filled up with tiny frogs last summer and there are skinks all over the place. We also have resident possums living in the macrocarpa hedge that like to raise merry hell on the house roof during a full moon! There are a whole heap of magpies and plovers that dive bomb any hawks that come close and five pukeko that wander the property thinking they own the place! That's about it for the wild life.
We used to own a copy centre but technology has seen that go by the wayside so we packed it all in. I now work as a reliever for local childcares which keep me busy and pays for my craft and chicken addiction! I like to get my hands dirty, I have my own chainsaw (that the husbeast probably regrets buying me!) and I want to buy a tractor. My favourite shoes are my Boonies gummies and I'll wear them year round. I can't be bothered wearing makeup or dyeing my hair anymore and I've never had a manicure...... honestly I think I'm secretly a swamp hag
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I have seen the name pop up before and never got round to joining. Most overseas based forums aren't all that useful when you can't access things here in New Zealand but I see many Kiwis here so figured I'd give it a whirl.
If you got this far, well done you! Apologies if half this doesn't make sense or there are spelling mistakes, it's almost midnight and my brain is fried!
