santim5665
In the Brooder
- Sep 14, 2016
- 3
- 0
- 17
Hey from MI! I am new to anything chicken related. I didn't really want chickens. I didn't ask for chickens and I didn't go buy chickens. But here they are! The neighbor got a bunch of chickens and a rooster and once they let them out, they would not stay home. I tried running them off, scaring them off, walking em thru the woods back to their own house and they just kept coming back. I even told the neighbor if my dogs got loose they would likely get and demolish a chicken long before I could get to it...their response; yeah we know; we will just get more. UGH!! finally one chicken just refused to go home, no matter what happened or what I did, she would insist on living here. I now realize their living space was not safe and coyotes have gotten all of the chickens except for the 2 that I finally bought from the child because he couldn't catch them and if he did they would bite him (they still don't do this with me)...so they live here. lovely husband has built them a good safe shelter for at night and we are working at getting it entirely enclosed/fenced. I have grown to love them with their very individual quirky personalities and think it so funny when I need to lay down to rest during the day and get up to find one of the free ranging chickens sitting in my bedroom window (outside) and only gets up and leaves when I get up from my rest. I have done a bit of research, one is a buff orpington (this i am sure of) and other a kind of scrawny looking rhode island red maybe? I let them out during the day, they have a variety of food stuff i have bought for them, we give them lots of food scraps and seem to be happy healthy girls. We love animals here, really. we live in the country and have provided a home for multiple cats and dogs who are lost and abandoned, including the aforementioned neighbor's cat (for years) just finding out a month ago it belonged to them but will not let them come near him...yet shows up daily for kisses and food at my house
.....but I have never lived with, near or even held a chicken prior to this. I am a 51 year old city born and bred female, whose husband convinced her a home in the country would be wonderful. He was right...but it has been an adventure to say the least. So, now if you have continued to read this far, what do I need to know to continue keeping the girls happy and healthy? or since they chose where they were gonna live are they gonna do pretty much all the caring for on their own?
thanks much,
never adopted by hens
thanks much,
never adopted by hens
. Pleased you joined our community! Wow! That was a great story about how you got into chickens. Glad you are a more responsible chicken keeper than your neighbor. A great place to pick up some great chicken knowledge is the Learning Center here 
