Hiya everybody--- there's a new newbie in town!
My name's Jolene (friends call me Jo) and I'm a Northerner so that means freakin' cold winters so I'm looking for any tips that could help my in-coming flock survive Canadian winters.
I am very new to chickens; the most experience I've ever had with them was when I was younger and my godmother would bring me to visit her boyfriend's farm an hour away where I'd harass the cows and play hell in the hayloft (Ok, not really harass, just trying to pet them when they're busy eating lol) I remember going to a barn for a school trip and the farmer took us to the brooding area where he had hundreds of chicks. From then on I was very interested in raising chickens but my parents never wanted to during my Elementary years. Now that I have my own house and a medium-sized lot, I am very excited to start my own backyard coop.
As of now, I have no chickens, but am in the process of completing our coop which is being insulated throughout November when we can find the money here and there what with Christmas quickly approaching. So far, the coop is 8x8 with a 10x8 enclosed run and in the spring we'll be installing an open run of 100 sq ft for the flock to free-range.
We were first looking into just heavy, winter-hardy breeds such as Orpingtons and Australorps, but the deeper I got into researching breeds, the more I got interested in different egg colors. So I went from only Orpies/Austras to Easter Eggers, Ameraucanas, Olive Eggers, Legbars... anything that is winter-hardy that lays a basket that can resemble Easter time! In the Spring, I'm planning on ordering a 25 chick mix of Easter Eggers, Olive Eggers and Ameraucanas. When the roos can be identified I'll be keeping one and if I've got the balls to do it, butchering the rest for meat... then order in Orpies and Austras to add in some tan and pink egg colors. I'm hoping to have a spread of 2 Orpies, 2 Austras, 5 Easters, 3 Olives and 3 Ameraucanas totalling 15. I know chicken math and chicken fever because I'm definitely infected. At first I wanted 5, then it turned into 10 and now I'm at 15. I was even considering 20 but with my coop size, I have to stick in the 15 range!!!
I foudn out about BYC while I was doing so much research. BYC kept popping up so I kept coming back to the site and found that there were so many different threads with so many discussion I wanted in on so I decided to sign up! And I'm glad I did because now I have access to all the galleries and pictures. I told a friend about the site and I think she'll be signing up quite soon.. SPONSOR!!!
I don't do too much in the way of hobbies. Mostly reading. I love to read aloud so I'm thinking I'll be sitting outside in the grass reading to my chickens since my husband always falls asleep on me (lol).
I'm currently a wife and mother of a 1.5 year old, hoping to add to our human brood sometime. We've got one dog, a Dalmatian named Molly, who is 8 years old going on 9 this December! Hubby's work consists of carpentry and honestly, being a mother is a 24/7 job so I consider it my job more than my actual office job!
So, with this introduction out of the way, I'm excited to browse the threads and become more educated so I'll be well on my way to becoming a chicken owner in 2018! G'chii Meegwetch and good luck to everyone and their flocks!
My name's Jolene (friends call me Jo) and I'm a Northerner so that means freakin' cold winters so I'm looking for any tips that could help my in-coming flock survive Canadian winters.
I am very new to chickens; the most experience I've ever had with them was when I was younger and my godmother would bring me to visit her boyfriend's farm an hour away where I'd harass the cows and play hell in the hayloft (Ok, not really harass, just trying to pet them when they're busy eating lol) I remember going to a barn for a school trip and the farmer took us to the brooding area where he had hundreds of chicks. From then on I was very interested in raising chickens but my parents never wanted to during my Elementary years. Now that I have my own house and a medium-sized lot, I am very excited to start my own backyard coop.
As of now, I have no chickens, but am in the process of completing our coop which is being insulated throughout November when we can find the money here and there what with Christmas quickly approaching. So far, the coop is 8x8 with a 10x8 enclosed run and in the spring we'll be installing an open run of 100 sq ft for the flock to free-range.
We were first looking into just heavy, winter-hardy breeds such as Orpingtons and Australorps, but the deeper I got into researching breeds, the more I got interested in different egg colors. So I went from only Orpies/Austras to Easter Eggers, Ameraucanas, Olive Eggers, Legbars... anything that is winter-hardy that lays a basket that can resemble Easter time! In the Spring, I'm planning on ordering a 25 chick mix of Easter Eggers, Olive Eggers and Ameraucanas. When the roos can be identified I'll be keeping one and if I've got the balls to do it, butchering the rest for meat... then order in Orpies and Austras to add in some tan and pink egg colors. I'm hoping to have a spread of 2 Orpies, 2 Austras, 5 Easters, 3 Olives and 3 Ameraucanas totalling 15. I know chicken math and chicken fever because I'm definitely infected. At first I wanted 5, then it turned into 10 and now I'm at 15. I was even considering 20 but with my coop size, I have to stick in the 15 range!!!
I foudn out about BYC while I was doing so much research. BYC kept popping up so I kept coming back to the site and found that there were so many different threads with so many discussion I wanted in on so I decided to sign up! And I'm glad I did because now I have access to all the galleries and pictures. I told a friend about the site and I think she'll be signing up quite soon.. SPONSOR!!!
I don't do too much in the way of hobbies. Mostly reading. I love to read aloud so I'm thinking I'll be sitting outside in the grass reading to my chickens since my husband always falls asleep on me (lol).
I'm currently a wife and mother of a 1.5 year old, hoping to add to our human brood sometime. We've got one dog, a Dalmatian named Molly, who is 8 years old going on 9 this December! Hubby's work consists of carpentry and honestly, being a mother is a 24/7 job so I consider it my job more than my actual office job!
So, with this introduction out of the way, I'm excited to browse the threads and become more educated so I'll be well on my way to becoming a chicken owner in 2018! G'chii Meegwetch and good luck to everyone and their flocks!
Happy
to have you join the family. Enjoy your time here!
