HootWhite
Chirping
Owning and caring for animals is a journey filled with responsibility, pride, joy, and occasional challenges that come with a hefty price tag. My venture into chicken farming began as a dream of homesteading, self-sufficiency, and passing on essential skills to my family.
Picture this: April 2023, a prefab coop and seven vibrant hens – Wyandottes, Buff O’s, Copper Maran, and Olive Egger. As my wife named each one, I warned of nature’s unpredictable twists.
Eggs started rolling in, and dreams of frittatas, quiches, and sunny side-up delights filled our imaginations. However, Mother Nature had her say – a tragic water belly, a daring escape turned tragedy, and an owl’s swift visit left us on the verge of giving up.
Defying defeat, I built a new coop from scratch, introduced a resilient flock of Wyandottes, strategically avoiding names to spare us from emotional setbacks. The journey continued with lessons learned and the indomitable spirit to overcome challenges.
Still no eggs from the OG flock and last week I made my nightly check to count the hens to insure all made it home safely. I was short a hen and I shined my flashlight to see a hen hanging in the fence with a bloody head from being pecked and unable to escape. How quickly I was feeling right back to the memory of the first flock challenges. On day 4, I sat in the garage letting her exercise her legs and she hopped up into my lap to give me a kind thank you. The Wyandotte pullet bounced back and it was time to go back with the flock.
This week the Buff O layer her first egg and has daily. The Maran graced us with a chocolate-colored surprise – my sense of accomplishment is soaring. My OG’s are back!
As a chicken farmer, the past year brought life lessons, growth, and success emerging from setbacks and harsh nature-induced teachings. This is a tale of resilience, determination, and the sweet taste of success amidst the feathers and challenges of a thriving chicken community.
I write this in hope that it will inspire a young chicken farmer to persevere forward. Success stems from failure, all while I know I am on a success mountain today, there will be set backs in my future. Do not give up, and navigate the feathers.
Picture this: April 2023, a prefab coop and seven vibrant hens – Wyandottes, Buff O’s, Copper Maran, and Olive Egger. As my wife named each one, I warned of nature’s unpredictable twists.
Eggs started rolling in, and dreams of frittatas, quiches, and sunny side-up delights filled our imaginations. However, Mother Nature had her say – a tragic water belly, a daring escape turned tragedy, and an owl’s swift visit left us on the verge of giving up.
Defying defeat, I built a new coop from scratch, introduced a resilient flock of Wyandottes, strategically avoiding names to spare us from emotional setbacks. The journey continued with lessons learned and the indomitable spirit to overcome challenges.
Still no eggs from the OG flock and last week I made my nightly check to count the hens to insure all made it home safely. I was short a hen and I shined my flashlight to see a hen hanging in the fence with a bloody head from being pecked and unable to escape. How quickly I was feeling right back to the memory of the first flock challenges. On day 4, I sat in the garage letting her exercise her legs and she hopped up into my lap to give me a kind thank you. The Wyandotte pullet bounced back and it was time to go back with the flock.
This week the Buff O layer her first egg and has daily. The Maran graced us with a chocolate-colored surprise – my sense of accomplishment is soaring. My OG’s are back!
As a chicken farmer, the past year brought life lessons, growth, and success emerging from setbacks and harsh nature-induced teachings. This is a tale of resilience, determination, and the sweet taste of success amidst the feathers and challenges of a thriving chicken community.
I write this in hope that it will inspire a young chicken farmer to persevere forward. Success stems from failure, all while I know I am on a success mountain today, there will be set backs in my future. Do not give up, and navigate the feathers.
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