New Chicken Owner - Almost A Year

[Owl Creek]

Hello everyone. New chicken daddy here. Come here for help and advice. Can’t seem to find anything but “I’m a real farmer and you’re not” arrogance on Facebook groups.

We have a small homestead in development. Our decision not to raise animals for meat comes from us having a source of meat and supporting friends. Go ahead and share that with “real homesteaders” on Facebook and prepare to be ridiculed. We have chickens for eggs and reproduction. We are temp homesteading while we work on the new house. Taking a long time. Anyway; happy to be here. Looking for help with odd and end things.

Flock is 8 hens and a roo for now. Once we get settled; expanding.

I take the responsibilities of caring for other living things very seriously and I can sometimes overwhelm myself with anxiety about doing something wrong when they’ve counted on me solely for life. It’s not a debilitating anxiety; I just don’t want to do something wrong and cause preventable issues. Make sense? Probably not.

Served in the Marine Corps. I suppose that’s where I picked up this desire to do it right 100% of the time when counted on.

Anyway; thanks for having me.

 

[janiedoe]

Hello, and welcome to BYC. I don't care to eat my own chickens either.
If you decide to hatch eggs, though, you may have to make a tough decision when dealing with the cockerels.
Good luck with your homestead!

 

[Grammy60]

Hello and welcome to BYC Thanks for joining us, you will find many good people here that will help with any questions you have.

 

[Alagirl]

Welcome to the fold.
While I pride myself in being a 'country girl' I also know that I will never process any animal I raised (and named)
And I won't have enough to justify the expenses of having to hire someone.
There are people from all walks of life, from the self-sufficient folks to Vegan keepers, and everything in between.

Pull up a chair, pour yourself something to drink, and stay a spell.

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to the BYC community. Bring all of your questions here - someone will answer them. Poultry keeping/raising is basically common sense.

 

[swampfox440]

Welcome to BYC! pleased to meet you and thanks for joining us.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Welcome to the coop! I use the Forums and Articles tabs at the top of the page to do research. You can get lost for hours. It's nice to know you are minutes away from getting help with questions and emergencies!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

As a caretaker/steward of animals, everyone should take their well being seriously and with respect for the animal. Heck, I still get anxiety attacks occasionally, and I've been raising birds for 55 years....it never goes completely away! With that kind of attitude/ thinking....you'll do fine!

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

 

[N F C]

Hello, it's nice to have you here with us!