New chicken mama-to-be...

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rossi.chicks

rossi.chicks

Songster
Mar 11, 2018
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Templeton, CA
Hi everyone! Not only am I super brand new to this forum, but I'm also super brand new to raising chicks! We've recently moved onto the "family land" which consists of 100 acres. DH and I both grew up in small towns in regular ole neighborhoods...not country folk or knowledgeable of livestock or farming or anything. But here we are!!!

We have 3 young kids (ages 6, 4, and 18 months, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and soon to be the proud new owners of 10 fluffy little Buff Orpingtons! We plan to puck up supplies for the chicks tomorrow and then buy the chicks from a local shop on Tuesday! We're excited and nervous and want to do everything right!

On top of wanting to raise chickens we have also started planting Goji berries and are looking into blueberries, figs, and lavender. (All things that grow well in our zone). DH is constructing a hoop house/green house for our lovely plants! He and a friend are also working on building a chicken coop and creating a fabulous habitat in our large orchard for our chickies to forage in when they get old enough. (It's already fully fenced, just needs netting to protect our girls from hawks and owls! We also have a coyote den on our property so we need to make sure the surrounding fence is extra sturdy!

Eventually cattle and other livestock are on the horizon once we get a cattle fence installed! LOTS to do!! :D

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Beautiful pic and lucky you guys! I’d literally kill to be bequeathed 100 acres- tho selectively. If I could pick who I get to kill- bonus. Ha! Sounds like you’ve definitely got your work cut out for you- but fulfilling work indeed. What a wonderful lifestyle for you, and your children. We raised ours out in the country as well, on an acre of land. I don’t believe there’s anything better or more healthy for kids than animals, nature- farm living in general. Especially in today’s very tech oriented (inside the house), and angry world. Very excited for you.. and can’t wait until my DH and I can get back OUT where we belong too! Last child is 15 now.. so we’re getting close! Living in the city, for 2 years now- for business reasons.. but had to bring a little of the country with me- (to survive emotionally intact- or at least mostly)... and that’s in the form of 8 backyard chickens.

The neighbors aren’t terribly amused- but, neither am I about breathing up their tailpipes, their kids riding their bikes on my lawn (or their dogs/cats using it as a toilet), their loud music, parties, etc.. so I figure it’s all fair! Ha! It’s been a huge adjustment, and not terribly fulfilling at all- just the opposite of your lifestyle change! We didn’t bring a roo tho.. and that’s as much as I could find myself caring about being considerate- haha!!

Welcome to BYC! You’ll find an awesome community of people here with tons of knowledge and experience that they very generously and willingly share! It’s been absolutely invaluable for me!
 
I know I’ve posted this before, but I so want to spare anyone else from experiencing what we did. If you are going to buy straight run chicks from the local store, be aware you are taking your chances as far as how many pullets you will end up with. Out of six chicks from Tractor Supply we ended up with six roosters. I would advise anyone to buy sexed chicks. Good luck! They are adorable and you and your children will have the best time!
 
Riche Bronson said:
Beautiful pic and lucky you guys! I’d literally kill to be bequeathed 100 acres- tho selectively. If I could pick who I get to kill- bonus. Ha! Sounds like you’ve definitely got your work cut out for you- but fulfilling work indeed. What a wonderful lifestyle for you, and your children. We raised ours out in the country as well, on an acre of land. I don’t believe there’s anything better or more healthy for kids than animals, nature- farm living in general. Especially in today’s very tech oriented (inside the house), and angry world. Very excited for you.. and can’t wait until my DH and I can get back OUT where we belong too! Last child is 15 now.. so we’re getting close! Living in the city, for 2 years now- for business reasons.. but had to bring a little of the country with me- (to survive emotionally intact- or at least mostly)... and that’s in the form of 8 backyard chickens.

The neighbors aren’t terribly amused- but, neither am I about breathing up their tailpipes, their kids riding their bikes on my lawn (or their dogs/cats using it as a toilet), their loud music, parties, etc.. so I figure it’s all fair! Ha! It’s been a huge adjustment, and not terribly fulfilling at all- just the opposite of your lifestyle change! We didn’t bring a roo tho.. and that’s as much as I could find myself caring about being considerate- haha!!

Welcome to BYC! You’ll find an awesome community of people here with tons of knowledge and experience that they very generously and willingly share! It’s been absolutely invaluable for me!
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Thank you SO much for the kind welcome! Yes we are insanely blessed/lucky to have landed here! We're surrounded by farm life but also only a short drive into town...kind of the best of both worlds if you ask me! Haha! We only have one neighbor close by and they have chickens already so I look forward to learning from them, as well! My oldest is in the first grade and has decided he actually DOES like the great outdoors (finally!!!) He wants to be an "explorer" an archaeologist, or a scientist when he grows up. My middle, a girl, is 4. She likes being outside but is insanely dramatic and clumsy so the tiniest trip and fall has her howling in pain for an hour. :/ My youngest, 18 months, is your typical crazy, rough and tumble boy who wants to do all the things and be outside at all times. :)
 
LittleCheepers said:
I know I’ve posted this before, but I so want to spare anyone else from experiencing what we did. If you are going to buy straight run chicks from the local store, be aware you are taking your chances as far as how many pullets you will end up with. Out of six chicks from Tractor Supply we ended up with six roosters. I would advise anyone to buy sexed chicks. Good luck! They are adorable and you and your children will have the best time!
Click to expand...
Oh wow! That is really good to know! Thankfully, they have already been sexed. The store (which my dad actually works at so we are also getting a discount on supplies, yay!) has assured us that they're all girls. SOOO, fingers crossed?!
 

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