CoriBadger
Chirping
- Apr 15, 2021
- 12
- 60
- 79
Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I had a pet Black Australorp at age... 10? 11? My dad had chickens growing up; he wanted us to experience the joy of small, feathery dinosaurs. "Bonkers" had a lot of personality, so when I moved to a more rural area as an adult, you can bet I started my own flock.
How many chickens do you have right now?
I have five, at the moment! Two Black Australorps, Zulinka and Clementine ("Clem"); one Rhode Island Red, Matilda; and two Ameraucanas (as far as I know...), Petra and Theodora ("Theo"). I raised six chicks in total, but lost Henry, another RIR, to a Cooper's Hawk at about 7 months old. My girls are now 13 months old, so... real hens!
I desperately want to add a Speckled Sussex, a Wyandotte, and a Marans next year... and I'm torn between a Barnevelder or an Olive Egger. (For predator reasons, I cannot let them free range, though I do bring them out on supervised outings. This means I only have so much space in my coop/run.. Run: 9 x 24 feet. Coop: 8 x 8 feet. Run height: 8 feet. I think I can add more vertical "levels" with a run that tall -- but I'm not quite sure how many happy chooks that will support?)
What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Holding a chicken in your lap, seeing them run to the coop door when you visit throughout the day, chatting with them, watching them chase each other for the grub you found in your garden, and laughing as they flail around in a luxurious dust bath!
What are some of your other hobbies?
To complete the cliche, I like to garden and knit. Braids and an apron are a must.
Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
So, I moved to the country and got six chicks. Then I panicked -- how do I keep them alive? What does this behavior mean? Am I doing everything all wrong??
I went to Google and found BYC. After hundreds of hours spent lurking, learning, and laughing on the threads here, I finally decided to take the step and join because my curiosity reached its peak: I want to find out whether my Ameraucanas are actually Easter Eggers. (If so, then my EEs are obviously superior to Ameraucanas. Fact!) I know the members of BYC will tell me
I had a pet Black Australorp at age... 10? 11? My dad had chickens growing up; he wanted us to experience the joy of small, feathery dinosaurs. "Bonkers" had a lot of personality, so when I moved to a more rural area as an adult, you can bet I started my own flock.
How many chickens do you have right now?
I have five, at the moment! Two Black Australorps, Zulinka and Clementine ("Clem"); one Rhode Island Red, Matilda; and two Ameraucanas (as far as I know...), Petra and Theodora ("Theo"). I raised six chicks in total, but lost Henry, another RIR, to a Cooper's Hawk at about 7 months old. My girls are now 13 months old, so... real hens!
I desperately want to add a Speckled Sussex, a Wyandotte, and a Marans next year... and I'm torn between a Barnevelder or an Olive Egger. (For predator reasons, I cannot let them free range, though I do bring them out on supervised outings. This means I only have so much space in my coop/run.. Run: 9 x 24 feet. Coop: 8 x 8 feet. Run height: 8 feet. I think I can add more vertical "levels" with a run that tall -- but I'm not quite sure how many happy chooks that will support?)
What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Holding a chicken in your lap, seeing them run to the coop door when you visit throughout the day, chatting with them, watching them chase each other for the grub you found in your garden, and laughing as they flail around in a luxurious dust bath!
What are some of your other hobbies?
To complete the cliche, I like to garden and knit. Braids and an apron are a must.
Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
So, I moved to the country and got six chicks. Then I panicked -- how do I keep them alive? What does this behavior mean? Am I doing everything all wrong??
I went to Google and found BYC. After hundreds of hours spent lurking, learning, and laughing on the threads here, I finally decided to take the step and join because my curiosity reached its peak: I want to find out whether my Ameraucanas are actually Easter Eggers. (If so, then my EEs are obviously superior to Ameraucanas. Fact!) I know the members of BYC will tell me
Glad you joined.
