This thread is going to be dedicated to photos of my flocks of chickens, as well as updates as I incubate and raise chicks, and try out new breeds. I will start off with the story of my journey up to this point -
The very beginning - 2009
We moved to a small farm in December 2009, and immediately wanted to get a flock of chickens to provide us with fresh eggs. Our first flock included Hylines and Rhode Island Reds. Soon after acquiring our first flock, we bought 2 small incubators and a couple of roosters, and started incubating and raising replacements for our older hens. At this point, I didn't really see our chickens as pets. They weren't tame at all, and roamed freely over our large garden (the dogs eventually learnt that they weren't chew toys, after numerous attempts). I fed them, collected eggs, raised the baby chicks and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I didn't have a passion for chickens yet, and had no idea there were fancy breeds out there.
First flock of Orpingtons - 2012
I bought my first flock of Buff Orpingtons at the end of 2012. There was a breeder just down the road from us, and I had heard that they were great egg layers, as well as meat birds. I fully intended to breed them mostly for meat production. That all changed though, when I saw them. They were huge, fluffy, golden chickens who loved cuddles, and while my Rhode Island Reds would scatter when I entered the coop, the Orpingtons would crowd around my feet, making it difficult to walk without tripping over one or two. I couldn't see myself eating them.
At this point I thought that Buff Orpington was the breed. I had no idea there were other colours out there. In fact, even when I saw an advert for Blue Orpingtons, I told myself that these were 'Blue Buff Orpingtons'. I only realized that this wasn't correct after I brought home my first flock of Blue and Splash in 2014. Now I was starting to form an addiction. The beginning of 2013 started my craziest year of my chicken journey...
The crazy year - 2013
I was now in the phase of just starting to explore different breeds, and I started to read anything and everything I came across that was chicken related. I stalked this site for a whole year before I joined, reading entire threads and articles on certain breeds I was interested in, as well as diseases and tips on managing breeding flocks/raising chicks. I bought multiple books, and poured over pages and pages of information, putting into practice what I was learning. And then I began to expand my flock...
I had now decided to breed chickens. So I kept my Buff Orpington flock, and hatched a few eggs under broody hens. I didn't have an incubator at this stage, as we had given away our 2 original ones, due to them not working properly. Then I bought several other breeds. To name a few, I tried out -
Old English Game Bantams
Polish Bantams (frizzle and straight)
Wyandottes
Barred Rocks
Brahmas
Australorps
Light Sussex
Speckled Sussex
Sebrights
Sabelpoot Bantams
I kept a few of the breeds, but most of them I sold, to make space for even more breeds. I had to try as many as possible. This is why I look back on 2013 as my craziest year of raising chickens. I had breeds coming in and out, and I was putting them wherever I could find the space. I needed to start getting organized and decide which breeds I wanted to continue with.
I bought an incubator in 2015, and since then have been breeding several colours of Orpingtons and Cochin Bantams. I plan on adding Silver Laced Wyandottes and a couple more bantam breeds in the near future.
I will be posting photos of my current flock as soon as possible. This is a long post, so thank you if you read all the way through.
I hope you enjoy following my continuing journey.
The very beginning - 2009
We moved to a small farm in December 2009, and immediately wanted to get a flock of chickens to provide us with fresh eggs. Our first flock included Hylines and Rhode Island Reds. Soon after acquiring our first flock, we bought 2 small incubators and a couple of roosters, and started incubating and raising replacements for our older hens. At this point, I didn't really see our chickens as pets. They weren't tame at all, and roamed freely over our large garden (the dogs eventually learnt that they weren't chew toys, after numerous attempts). I fed them, collected eggs, raised the baby chicks and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I didn't have a passion for chickens yet, and had no idea there were fancy breeds out there.
First flock of Orpingtons - 2012
I bought my first flock of Buff Orpingtons at the end of 2012. There was a breeder just down the road from us, and I had heard that they were great egg layers, as well as meat birds. I fully intended to breed them mostly for meat production. That all changed though, when I saw them. They were huge, fluffy, golden chickens who loved cuddles, and while my Rhode Island Reds would scatter when I entered the coop, the Orpingtons would crowd around my feet, making it difficult to walk without tripping over one or two. I couldn't see myself eating them.
At this point I thought that Buff Orpington was the breed. I had no idea there were other colours out there. In fact, even when I saw an advert for Blue Orpingtons, I told myself that these were 'Blue Buff Orpingtons'. I only realized that this wasn't correct after I brought home my first flock of Blue and Splash in 2014. Now I was starting to form an addiction. The beginning of 2013 started my craziest year of my chicken journey...
The crazy year - 2013
I was now in the phase of just starting to explore different breeds, and I started to read anything and everything I came across that was chicken related. I stalked this site for a whole year before I joined, reading entire threads and articles on certain breeds I was interested in, as well as diseases and tips on managing breeding flocks/raising chicks. I bought multiple books, and poured over pages and pages of information, putting into practice what I was learning. And then I began to expand my flock...
I had now decided to breed chickens. So I kept my Buff Orpington flock, and hatched a few eggs under broody hens. I didn't have an incubator at this stage, as we had given away our 2 original ones, due to them not working properly. Then I bought several other breeds. To name a few, I tried out -
Old English Game Bantams
Polish Bantams (frizzle and straight)
Wyandottes
Barred Rocks
Brahmas
Australorps
Light Sussex
Speckled Sussex
Sebrights
Sabelpoot Bantams
I kept a few of the breeds, but most of them I sold, to make space for even more breeds. I had to try as many as possible. This is why I look back on 2013 as my craziest year of raising chickens. I had breeds coming in and out, and I was putting them wherever I could find the space. I needed to start getting organized and decide which breeds I wanted to continue with.
I bought an incubator in 2015, and since then have been breeding several colours of Orpingtons and Cochin Bantams. I plan on adding Silver Laced Wyandottes and a couple more bantam breeds in the near future.
I will be posting photos of my current flock as soon as possible. This is a long post, so thank you if you read all the way through.
I hope you enjoy following my continuing journey.
!
