So, I'm totally going to cheat and use this handy dandy "template".
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I raised chickens as a hobby about 20 years ago just collecting different breeds and letting them free range around the homestead. I loved them and referred to them as my living lawn ornaments. We had 40+ chickens at that time. My avatar is Splice, he was a Polish mix and was the best Rooster ever. We had him for many years and I literally grieved him like a member of the family.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
Sadly, we had a massacre take place in the coop one night about a month. We had 6 layers at that time and now we're down to two. But, our daughter-in-law is raising 8 chicks for us now that will be added to our girls soon.
(3) What breeds do you have?
We currently have an Easter Egger and a big blue mix. Soon we'll be adding a Welsumer rooster, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 1 Midnight Majesty, 1 Salmon Faverolle, 1 Buff Brahma, 1 White Crested Black Polish and 1 silver laced Polish.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Chickens are just amazing creations! I love to watch them go about their chicken business.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Cooking, nutrition, building things, traveling and GRANDCHILDREN (best hobby ever!!!).
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
We have two homesteads in two different states, so we travel a lot. It's our goal to be as self sufficient as we can be and we're moving that direction...hoping to add meat birds to our farm ASAP and pigs in the spring.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I've read things on BYC many times in the past and I'm finding myself needing to pick the brains of people with more chicken experience than I can find IRL. I'm glad to be here.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I raised chickens as a hobby about 20 years ago just collecting different breeds and letting them free range around the homestead. I loved them and referred to them as my living lawn ornaments. We had 40+ chickens at that time. My avatar is Splice, he was a Polish mix and was the best Rooster ever. We had him for many years and I literally grieved him like a member of the family.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
Sadly, we had a massacre take place in the coop one night about a month. We had 6 layers at that time and now we're down to two. But, our daughter-in-law is raising 8 chicks for us now that will be added to our girls soon.
(3) What breeds do you have?
We currently have an Easter Egger and a big blue mix. Soon we'll be adding a Welsumer rooster, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 1 Midnight Majesty, 1 Salmon Faverolle, 1 Buff Brahma, 1 White Crested Black Polish and 1 silver laced Polish.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
Chickens are just amazing creations! I love to watch them go about their chicken business.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Cooking, nutrition, building things, traveling and GRANDCHILDREN (best hobby ever!!!).
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
We have two homesteads in two different states, so we travel a lot. It's our goal to be as self sufficient as we can be and we're moving that direction...hoping to add meat birds to our farm ASAP and pigs in the spring.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I've read things on BYC many times in the past and I'm finding myself needing to pick the brains of people with more chicken experience than I can find IRL. I'm glad to be here.