New To Backyard Chickens

Hello BYC, I have come across your posts when looking for information or help with injured and sick chickens for years but never joined until now.

I have had chickens for 6 years. After meeting a chicken who was a family members pet i had always wanted a chicken one day but my husband really wasnt keen on the idea as he grew up on a ranch and knew the work that went into them and the concerns with poop and cleaning. His answer was always no until one day a half blind hen showed up on our property and a rnach hand caught her. Hubby called me and said there was a chicken i could have if i wanted it. Boy did I! She was ratty and had a bad infection on her eye which we treated with antibiotics. She was a lovely hen who free ranged around our house and slept on my bicycle for 4 months before we got a coop. I had no idea what you were suppose to do with chickens as i was raised in the city so i took her for bike rides, paddleboparding, horseback riding, you name it. She was a wonderful chicken!

I eventually purchased 2 babies from a feed store so she would have friends. Unfortunately Henna, my first chicken, was only with us a year before being taken in the day by a hawk. I have since learned alot about predator proof enclosures, we have tons of chairs tables and ive planted more trees and bushes for cover for the chickens, installed bird feeders to attract the crows that mob the hawks and thanks to my husband have a great predator proof chicken coop and duck house. I free range all the birds during the day and they are locked up at night.

Currently i have 12 chickens, three of which are roosters (silkie, white leghorn, barnyard mix). Seven of the chickens are hens 2 Austrolopes, Blue Andalusian, Buff Cochin, silver laced wayandotte, Leghorn/Austrolope mix and a disabled red jungle fowl. On April 4, 2022 I added two baby Millie Fleur D'Uccles to be friends with my red jungle fowl hen as my other chickens are larger and i thought she may enjoy the company of some smaller hens.

I love that chickens are active social animals that live their own life and have complicated relationships that playout in your yard. Its extrememly entertaining to watch them forage and socialize. All my chickens will run up to me and let me handle them. Some of them are even fond of snuggling but they are also ok with just living thier life and being admired!!

Other than raising chickens and ducks I have horses and a mini donkey. I love horseback riding and driving a cart and also enjoy gardening.
You sure have learned your lessons on chickens :D So you're definitely in the right place and I'm very pleased to meet you

:welcome
 

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