(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
About two ish weeks ago
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
3
(3) What breeds do you have?
Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red & a Polish (though at the moment the polish looks like a mixed breed, but I don't know enough about chickens to actually tell)
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
Google
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Computer gaming, working too much, herding cats.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Well since you asked I'll tell you more than you ever wanted to know.
I live with my fiance, 3 cats (one mine, Rook. One ours, Bishop. One his, Khyber), and now 3 chickens (Peep, Cadubry & Betty) in Arizona.
The Fiance:
I met my fiance after taking a Zombie Survival test on Okcupid.com. He liked my survivability and decided to send me a "woo". I proceeded to insult him for not knowing who Dr Who was after spending part of his childhood in England (he couldn't tell me who his favorite Dr was and then admitted to not knowing who DR Who was), and we hit it off from there. We've been together 7 years and couldn't be happier.
He'll probably be horrified I'm yet again posting pics of him online walking the cat, but here's a pic of him walking my cat Rook anyway.
The Chickens:
I recently decided I needed chickens. Someone with them sold them as a fantastic bug brigade + (sort of) free eggs. That.. and they're cute. Yeah, okay I was sold and "they eat bugs, and like to kill scorpions". I question the truth of the scorpion part, but the little buggers have indeed proven that ants and flies are a delicacy. I root them on every time I see them viciously (and hilariously) stalking a bug of any sort.
I am very much hoping they are all hens, though I rather seriously question if they are. I can't have a rooster, and the store policy is no returns (I asked). I may have grown up on a farm (didn't have chickens), but I'm not sure I could eat a pet. I'm pretty sure I'd have to find another home that wanted to either keep him or eat him ( I probably wouldn't ask which).
I have read multiple articles on how to tell the difference between a hen and a rooster as they age, but am pretty much convinced I just don't know enough about chickens to know until it starts crowing. So, if anyone knows the sex of my chickens from the pics posted below, please feel free to let me know if one is a rooster.
Peep: (Barred Rock)
Peep is both the smartest (basic needs) and dumbest (no sense of danger) of my chickens. She is the fiercest bug eater among them, and she has the sense to go find water when she's thirsty. Peep adores and stalks my cat Bishop. I've since decided Bishop isn't a major threat, but I wasn't so sure at first. I'm not going to leave him alone with the little ones, but so far the chickens have been more threatening to him than he has been to them. Buut Bishop acts like the chickens are the best interactive cable TV "evar".
Cadbury (Rhode Island Red)
Cadbury started out as the most cuddly, but since we got Betty she's been a lot more skittish. I'm thinking is' because Betty is more skittish, and they are now living outside in a coop instead of in a cat carrier in my house and spending evenings while I could monitor them and clean up the mess (sort of) free in my bathroom.
Betty (Polish)
The girl I purchased Peep & Cadbury from raises chickens. She mentioned she raised Polish chickens, and their floppy hats I find adorable. She offered to sell me one, but told me she wasn't sure of the sex. I'm hoping Betty isn't a Bob. She is by far the most skittish of the birds, but the fastest to trot right next to you if you're sitting still. You move though and she's rushing the opposite direction. I'm not sure if she'll get the super floppy top, but I think she's cute. I question if she's a she though.
Now I'm just going to spam you with cute chicken pictures. (sorry I have a hard time resisting)
Rook, Peep & Cadbury. Clearly Rook is terrifying to the chickens.
Peep & Cadbury right after we got them. I couldn't resist taking pictures of them near my rubber duckies.
And last but not lease a very brief vid of exactly what Cadbury thinks of Bishop... poor Bishop was very confused.
The Cats:
Rook gets by in life through his looks. I mean how can you stay mad at that?! I adore him and his war paint. I think he was born without a fear gene, and unless it's a rabbit or his pink mouse toy no predatory instincts. He is mostly a super laid back cat, and is tolerant of almost everything (including baths). He's gorgeous and he knows it. He's a pound kitty. How he ended up in the pound I have no idea. I had to put my previous cat down, and it was devastating. I went looking for a dog. I didn't get a dog.
Bishop is our cat. We went to the pound looking for another cat like Rook. (I"m allergic to my fiance's cat, but not to Rook. Per my vet he's a Ragdoll and hypoallergenic... though with his dust bath habits I'm not so sure, but he doesn't make me itch or sneeze so I'm good). However Bishop won my fiance's heart at the pound and we just "had" to see him. He then proceeded to crawl all over Jer and completely sold himself. I wasn't sure, but he passed the face smoosh test, so he went home with us. He is a gas. He's cute (all cats are cute), but he makes himself 1,000 times cuter with the way he acts. He also immediately turned traitor and spends most of his time cuddling with me and ignoring my fiance. Poor Jer.
Khyber is my fiance's cat. He's a super sweet cat, and loves cuddles and more or less everyone after he gets over the hiding phase. I would never get rid of him, but since I'm allergic we have a less cuddly relationship.
Anyway it's nice to meet you and I hope I learn a lot.
About two ish weeks ago
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
3
(3) What breeds do you have?
Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red & a Polish (though at the moment the polish looks like a mixed breed, but I don't know enough about chickens to actually tell)
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
Computer gaming, working too much, herding cats.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Well since you asked I'll tell you more than you ever wanted to know.
I live with my fiance, 3 cats (one mine, Rook. One ours, Bishop. One his, Khyber), and now 3 chickens (Peep, Cadubry & Betty) in Arizona.
The Fiance:
I met my fiance after taking a Zombie Survival test on Okcupid.com. He liked my survivability and decided to send me a "woo". I proceeded to insult him for not knowing who Dr Who was after spending part of his childhood in England (he couldn't tell me who his favorite Dr was and then admitted to not knowing who DR Who was), and we hit it off from there. We've been together 7 years and couldn't be happier.
He'll probably be horrified I'm yet again posting pics of him online walking the cat, but here's a pic of him walking my cat Rook anyway.
The Chickens:
I recently decided I needed chickens. Someone with them sold them as a fantastic bug brigade + (sort of) free eggs. That.. and they're cute. Yeah, okay I was sold and "they eat bugs, and like to kill scorpions". I question the truth of the scorpion part, but the little buggers have indeed proven that ants and flies are a delicacy. I root them on every time I see them viciously (and hilariously) stalking a bug of any sort.
I am very much hoping they are all hens, though I rather seriously question if they are. I can't have a rooster, and the store policy is no returns (I asked). I may have grown up on a farm (didn't have chickens), but I'm not sure I could eat a pet. I'm pretty sure I'd have to find another home that wanted to either keep him or eat him ( I probably wouldn't ask which).
I have read multiple articles on how to tell the difference between a hen and a rooster as they age, but am pretty much convinced I just don't know enough about chickens to know until it starts crowing. So, if anyone knows the sex of my chickens from the pics posted below, please feel free to let me know if one is a rooster.
Peep: (Barred Rock)
Peep is both the smartest (basic needs) and dumbest (no sense of danger) of my chickens. She is the fiercest bug eater among them, and she has the sense to go find water when she's thirsty. Peep adores and stalks my cat Bishop. I've since decided Bishop isn't a major threat, but I wasn't so sure at first. I'm not going to leave him alone with the little ones, but so far the chickens have been more threatening to him than he has been to them. Buut Bishop acts like the chickens are the best interactive cable TV "evar".
Cadbury (Rhode Island Red)
Cadbury started out as the most cuddly, but since we got Betty she's been a lot more skittish. I'm thinking is' because Betty is more skittish, and they are now living outside in a coop instead of in a cat carrier in my house and spending evenings while I could monitor them and clean up the mess (sort of) free in my bathroom.
Betty (Polish)
The girl I purchased Peep & Cadbury from raises chickens. She mentioned she raised Polish chickens, and their floppy hats I find adorable. She offered to sell me one, but told me she wasn't sure of the sex. I'm hoping Betty isn't a Bob. She is by far the most skittish of the birds, but the fastest to trot right next to you if you're sitting still. You move though and she's rushing the opposite direction. I'm not sure if she'll get the super floppy top, but I think she's cute. I question if she's a she though.
Now I'm just going to spam you with cute chicken pictures. (sorry I have a hard time resisting)
Rook, Peep & Cadbury. Clearly Rook is terrifying to the chickens.
Peep & Cadbury right after we got them. I couldn't resist taking pictures of them near my rubber duckies.
And last but not lease a very brief vid of exactly what Cadbury thinks of Bishop... poor Bishop was very confused.
The Cats:
Rook gets by in life through his looks. I mean how can you stay mad at that?! I adore him and his war paint. I think he was born without a fear gene, and unless it's a rabbit or his pink mouse toy no predatory instincts. He is mostly a super laid back cat, and is tolerant of almost everything (including baths). He's gorgeous and he knows it. He's a pound kitty. How he ended up in the pound I have no idea. I had to put my previous cat down, and it was devastating. I went looking for a dog. I didn't get a dog.
Bishop is our cat. We went to the pound looking for another cat like Rook. (I"m allergic to my fiance's cat, but not to Rook. Per my vet he's a Ragdoll and hypoallergenic... though with his dust bath habits I'm not so sure, but he doesn't make me itch or sneeze so I'm good). However Bishop won my fiance's heart at the pound and we just "had" to see him. He then proceeded to crawl all over Jer and completely sold himself. I wasn't sure, but he passed the face smoosh test, so he went home with us. He is a gas. He's cute (all cats are cute), but he makes himself 1,000 times cuter with the way he acts. He also immediately turned traitor and spends most of his time cuddling with me and ignoring my fiance. Poor Jer.
Khyber is my fiance's cat. He's a super sweet cat, and loves cuddles and more or less everyone after he gets over the hiding phase. I would never get rid of him, but since I'm allergic we have a less cuddly relationship.
Anyway it's nice to meet you and I hope I learn a lot.
