Hi All-
I joined BYC back in 2014 when we got our first batch of chickens and ducks. Then, in 2015 we added goats and turkeys. Then, in 2017 some things happened in our world and we had to let most of our animals find new homes (we kept a few chickens). Just recently, in May of this year, we were able to add new members to our farm. We now have 9 laying hens, 1 rooster, 4 5-month old poults, 2 chicks, 6 Khaki Campbell duck hens and 1 Rouen drake, 1 tom turkey and 2 hens, 1 goose and gander, 2 Nigerian dwarf/mini-Nubian cross does, 4 Anatolian Shepherds and 1 Rhodesian Ridgeback. Just wanted to introduce myself and answer the listed questions. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and learning from the collective wisdom of the group.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? -- We got our first chicks in March of 2013 along with two ducklings and raised them in our living room until they were old enough to move out to a coop.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now? -- We have a total of 16 chickens currently on the farm.
(3) What breeds do you have? -- We currently have 1 Brahma rooster, 4 Barred Rock hens, 1 Wyandotte hen, 2 Cornish Cross hens, 1 Australorp hen, 1 Red Sexlink hen, 4 farm blended and hen raised 5 month old poults (all appear to be hens) and 2 8 week old farm-blended chicks currently being raised by our Australorp.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? -- First of all, I find chickens to be hugely entertaining and delightful to be around. They are such sweet-natured creatures with individual personalities. I love the noises they make at night in their coop. I love the sound a hen makes when she has just laid an egg. I enjoy the eggs! I like knowing where my food is coming from in regard to the eggs they lay that we eat. I like knowing that they can mate, lay eggs and raise a clutch of chicks on our farm as they were meant to if one of them goes broody.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies? -- I love gardening, reading, writing, crafting, hiking, camping, being outside and in nature.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share. -- We have a 4 year old male Anatolian Shepherd and a 2&1/2 year old female that bred out last January and had 10 puppies. We kept two of the males and the four of them are amazing at guarding our critters and keeping predators off our 16 acres. We also have a 5 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback who is our house pet. Then we have the goats, turkeys, geese and ducks. Our kids are both grown up and have moved out and so it is just my husband and I now and we are trying to become more and more self-sufficient and self-sustaining.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
-- I found out about BYC by doing a search when I first got chickens back in 2013 and I had a question about sexing them as well as ducks. I enjoyed reading the forums and seeing all the amazing stories and shared wisdom and joined in 2014. As I stated previously, life happened and I had to "leave" for a bit, but I am back now and ready to contribute.
I joined BYC back in 2014 when we got our first batch of chickens and ducks. Then, in 2015 we added goats and turkeys. Then, in 2017 some things happened in our world and we had to let most of our animals find new homes (we kept a few chickens). Just recently, in May of this year, we were able to add new members to our farm. We now have 9 laying hens, 1 rooster, 4 5-month old poults, 2 chicks, 6 Khaki Campbell duck hens and 1 Rouen drake, 1 tom turkey and 2 hens, 1 goose and gander, 2 Nigerian dwarf/mini-Nubian cross does, 4 Anatolian Shepherds and 1 Rhodesian Ridgeback. Just wanted to introduce myself and answer the listed questions. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and learning from the collective wisdom of the group.
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? -- We got our first chicks in March of 2013 along with two ducklings and raised them in our living room until they were old enough to move out to a coop.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now? -- We have a total of 16 chickens currently on the farm.
(3) What breeds do you have? -- We currently have 1 Brahma rooster, 4 Barred Rock hens, 1 Wyandotte hen, 2 Cornish Cross hens, 1 Australorp hen, 1 Red Sexlink hen, 4 farm blended and hen raised 5 month old poults (all appear to be hens) and 2 8 week old farm-blended chicks currently being raised by our Australorp.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? -- First of all, I find chickens to be hugely entertaining and delightful to be around. They are such sweet-natured creatures with individual personalities. I love the noises they make at night in their coop. I love the sound a hen makes when she has just laid an egg. I enjoy the eggs! I like knowing where my food is coming from in regard to the eggs they lay that we eat. I like knowing that they can mate, lay eggs and raise a clutch of chicks on our farm as they were meant to if one of them goes broody.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies? -- I love gardening, reading, writing, crafting, hiking, camping, being outside and in nature.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share. -- We have a 4 year old male Anatolian Shepherd and a 2&1/2 year old female that bred out last January and had 10 puppies. We kept two of the males and the four of them are amazing at guarding our critters and keeping predators off our 16 acres. We also have a 5 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback who is our house pet. Then we have the goats, turkeys, geese and ducks. Our kids are both grown up and have moved out and so it is just my husband and I now and we are trying to become more and more self-sufficient and self-sustaining.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
-- I found out about BYC by doing a search when I first got chickens back in 2013 and I had a question about sexing them as well as ducks. I enjoyed reading the forums and seeing all the amazing stories and shared wisdom and joined in 2014. As I stated previously, life happened and I had to "leave" for a bit, but I am back now and ready to contribute.
Chickens sure are fun to keep. Good luck in all you do. Enjoy BYC!
