MENTOR WANTED (Dothan, AL)

[Shoshana]

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if this is the right place to post, so please forgive me if it isn't. There doesn't appear to be a 'Mentor' board for veterans who might be willing to help newbies such as myself. My husband and I are in the process of purchasing a property with about ten acres and plan to start a flock of dual purpose chickens for meat and eggs, as well as a few turkeys, in the spring. I've been doing a lot of reading of books and this message board over the past month, but am only guessing on how a flock should be managed. Nothing is as good as practical experience and I'm hoping someone in the Dothan, AL, area would be willing to 'show me the ropes', point me towards local resources for feed, coop litter, etc., and perhaps even allow me to observe or help with harvesting chickens for meat, in return for my volunteer labor. If anyone is interested in this kind of arrangement, I'd love to connect with you! Thanks!

 

[Georgiapea]

Hi, I'm up in Ozark, about 15 miles out of Dothan but I'm not experienced enough to qualify as your mentor. Just wanted to respond to your message though and say hello.

Right now I have a pair of Lakenvelders, although I think the hen is a cross as she's pretty speckled. Bought them at the show in Clanton last month. They are so skittish they run if I even look at them. Then there's a pair of Cochin/Frizzles. Smooth hen, frizzled roo. Very nice and calm. Last of the larger chickens are a pair of pullets I picked up from that guy on 231N out of Ozark toward Montgomery who sellsl the chickens by the side of the road. They were cute and it was cold and the guy looked like he had a bad heart so I ended up not knowing what I was buying. Still don't, LOL. I suspect they are crosses also. Darling little girls though.

There's a fairly new Tractor Supply store on 84 close to Flowers Hospital that I buy most of my chicken stuff from. I've also bought from a feed store in Ozark because I like the large waterers they sell better than any others I've seen, either in person or on line.

We came here in May/June from Roswell, New Mexico. Roswell is a smaller town than Dothan but for it being an ag area around here I'm quite surprised at the lack of resources. I had a much better selection of farm oriented stores in Roswell.

Come on into Sam's Fri thru Sun and say "Hi" to me. We all wear name badges and I'm a Food Demo. The black aprons! If you come in this coming weekend, it's 'Taste of Sam's' and I won't have time to talk but there will be lots of food and I'm doing Tyson Wings. Buffalo on Fri, Honey BBQ Sat. and Tequila Lime (my personal favorite) on Sun.

Georgia

 

[Shoshana]

Hey Georgia! I'm glad to 'meet' you, it'll be fun to pop into Sams and meet you IRL this weekend! We're transplants from Savannah, ourselves. I've never had chickens before either, so this is going to be an experience, but with the economy so uncertain we want to be able to sustain as independently as possible.

I'm also really surprised at the lack of agricultural resources around here, considering all the farms in town, much less the outlying counties. Does the Sams sell any ag supplies? I think I'm going to try to talk to some of the farm owners and find out where they go. I love the Tractor Supply, but surely there are other places to shop??!! The Feed Store on Montgomery Hwy is, well, I hate to be uncharitable, but it is very poorly stocked, it seems to me. Maybe it's the time of year.

Anyways, look for me Saturday at Sams. Good to hear from you! ~Shoshana

 

[Georgiapea]

Great, I'll be looking forward to meeting you on Sat. I'd say I'd 'watch' for you but it will be so busy I won't even be able to look up so take the initiative and tell me who you are. : ) The Sat wings will be very good! Plus there will be lots of other great foods to try - the 'Taste of Sam's' is a really big event for us. I will either be wearing a 'farmer' style straw hat or a foam chicken head like hat. LOL, everyone else acts dignified and wears either a nice cap or visor.

Are you going into chickens as a commercial venture? I'm just doing it for fun and telling my DH there will be eggs! Only the chickens I like are all bantam so the eggs are not going to be anything to write home about! And if we never bought another egg the rest of our lives it wouldn't save what the chicken house cost!

Georgia in Alabama

 

[Robert Blosl]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=399477&p=1

I read your message wish I could help you I live near Fairhope -Mobile way. However, when you were talking about Sams I was thinking big chicken get togeather. We love to go to Sams and eat samples on the weekend.

I wanted to tell you about a new strain of large fowl and you can get eggs sent to your home. However, if you never used a incubator that might be tough. They are Barred Rock Large Fowl that came out of Kansas and they are breed for taste. They have won many contests for eating and they are good layers and pretty as can be. It dont cost any more to feed birds like these than hatchery kind. Just a thought I would pass on. Every buddy and thier brother wants this old line that goes back to 1905.

Good luck with getting into chickens need any help send me a message. I got 22 years at this hobby and its a lot of fun. bob from Silver Hill Alabama

 

[lena.griffin]

Hi! I live in Newton, AL. I just got started a few months ago, with Barred Rocks. Now I have an assortment of chickens. I didn't know how different the breeds of chickens can be! Anyway, I don't know a lot about chickens, yet, either, but I do know a few people who do and a little about where to get what! Have you been to the Lazy H livestock auctions?