Howdy Y'all

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svh said:
Hey ! My name is Steve, but my friends call me Sonar. I live on 11 forested acres in the rugged hills of mid Missouri. I'm retired / disabled, but keep awfully busy around my homestead with my three dogs, Juju, Roobee, and Gomer, and my new to me, eight hens and a rooster. More on that in a minute …..

I LOVE to hunt and fish in and around our beautiful 140 lake, and like to hike around the woods with my hounds, and my camera. I also forage (mushrooms, wild edibles) quite a bit to supplement the fish and game I harvest. During a warm spell a couple of weeks ago, I found some new dandelion sprouts, curly dock, and some nice tender, young garlic mustard shoots ! In January !!! These went perfectly with the honey mushrooms that I collected just a few days before. Unusual for this time of year.

OK, on to the chickens …..

My good friend raised these 8 hens, and 1 rooster from chicks last spring, so they aren't even a year old yet. His family and him went on an extended vacation, and I was tasked to care of them in his absence.

I haven't told him yet, but I plan on keepin the birds, since they are treated sooo much better here ….. Not that he was a bad dad or anything, but his attention to the flock was lacking do to his schedule. He had lost 5 birds in the previous week , and many more (17) in the past several months, to predators, as his "open" roosting technique wasn't keepin the birds safe, or comfortable enough.

We agreed that it would be impractical for me to drive to his place twice a day, so I converted a 16" x 7" shed into a coop, and moved the flock in. This was 2 weeks ago, and I've never had chickens, so I'm about as new to this as you could be ! I have many questions that can hopefully be addressed in the coming days.

The flock is quite settled, free ranging during the day, and roosting at night in their new digs. The chickens knew me and the dogs from hangin around at his place, so the transition went very well.

I will refrain from any questions here, (and I have many) as this is just an intro, but I'm lookin forward to gaining knowledge from the backyard chicken community. Please feel free to question, or comment on this intro.

Sonar.
Click to expand...

Hi Steve and :welcome . I think you will truly enjoy the chicken lovers on BYC. There are many on here that will give you help when you ask for it.:highfive:
 
svh said:
Hey ! My name is Steve, but my friends call me Sonar. I live on 11 forested acres in the rugged hills of mid Missouri. I'm retired / disabled, but keep awfully busy around my homestead with my three dogs, Juju, Roobee, and Gomer, and my new to me, eight hens and a rooster. More on that in a minute …..

I LOVE to hunt and fish in and around our beautiful 140 lake, and like to hike around the woods with my hounds, and my camera. I also forage (mushrooms, wild edibles) quite a bit to supplement the fish and game I harvest. During a warm spell a couple of weeks ago, I found some new dandelion sprouts, curly dock, and some nice tender, young garlic mustard shoots ! In January !!! These went perfectly with the honey mushrooms that I collected just a few days before. Unusual for this time of year.

OK, on to the chickens …..

My good friend raised these 8 hens, and 1 rooster from chicks last spring, so they aren't even a year old yet. His family and him went on an extended vacation, and I was tasked to care of them in his absence.

I haven't told him yet, but I plan on keepin the birds, since they are treated sooo much better here ….. Not that he was a bad dad or anything, but his attention to the flock was lacking do to his schedule. He had lost 5 birds in the previous week , and many more (17) in the past several months, to predators, as his "open" roosting technique wasn't keepin the birds safe, or comfortable enough.

We agreed that it would be impractical for me to drive to his place twice a day, so I converted a 16" x 7" shed into a coop, and moved the flock in. This was 2 weeks ago, and I've never had chickens, so I'm about as new to this as you could be ! I have many questions that can hopefully be addressed in the coming days.

The flock is quite settled, free ranging during the day, and roosting at night in their new digs. The chickens knew me and the dogs from hangin around at his place, so the transition went very well.

I will refrain from any questions here, (and I have many) as this is just an intro, but I'm lookin forward to gaining knowledge from the backyard chicken community. Please feel free to question, or comment on this intro.

Sonar.
Click to expand...
I admire your resourcefulness and envy your lifestyle!! I have three dogs also and hope to one day have chickens. I'm just here to learn from the experts! Sounds like you've begun an exciting adventure with your flock! Welcome and good luck with them!
 

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