Well I really messed up. Been against all this technology, but the kids needed the computer and internet for school. Of course I had to start looking online too, and in doing so came across BYC. I'm hooked. I'm from southern WV and have the good fortune to be living on the same 86 acres where I was first introduced to farm life, nearly 40 years ago. My grandpa had the "demonstration farm" for the county back in the 1940's. He had everything a young boy could want. Cows, ponies, horses,pigs, deer, sheep, rabbits, ducks, geese, guineas, turkeys, pheasants, and chickens. All of the poultry, except the pheasants, were allowed to roam freely. Now I'm back with 2 boys of my own, and although we will never have all that my grandpa had, they get a sample of my childhood. We have nearly 100 chickens, 4 new ducklings, 3 dogs, & 2 cats. A relative keeps 2 horses here on the farm, and my dad has 37 head of cattle. The pond I used to fish in is now full of water weeds and the fish have all died out. Wild mallards and Canadian geese nest there every year now. Deer and wild turkeys are frequent visitors. Bear sightings are becoming more frequent, but still not enough to be routine. My nearest neighbor in any direction is 1/2 a mile away. Chickens... We have too many, but I want more. We don't have breeding pairs of any breed except the Barred Rocks. Current breeds on my place are Golden Sebright, Black Tailed White Japanese, Gold Laced Wyandotte, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Barred Rocks, New Hampshire Red, Rhode Island Red, Red Sex Link, Black Sex Link, White Cornish, Black Giants, Golden Comets, Easter Eggers, and the always interesting mixed "mutt" chickens.
