New to the forum, but not new to backyard chickens

So I've already posted my first post in the Duck forum, but I thought I should make my official introduction. I have been lurking on these boards for some where around a year now and figured it was time for me to start participating. I'm male and in my mid-30's. I have had backyard chickens since I was a child, but not continuously. We have now started keeping backyard ducks and geese (not with the chickens btw) which I don't know much about so we are learning about them as we go. The chickens have a house, with a roost and laying boxes as well as an outdoor run. As much as possible we open up the door on the house during the daytime so they can run around the woods and the yard, they seem to enjoy it and it really cuts down on the feed bill. We have been selling the chicken eggs for sometime now and we are getting very close to the break even point. It really looks like by summer they will be paying for their own food. I've never expected nor wanted to make money off of 7 hens and a rooster but I do think the idea of being able to buy their food with money made off the sale of eggs is pretty neat.

The Ducks and Greese not so much, only today did I find my first duck eggs, and since I am totally new with them I just don't know what to expect. I posted in the Duck form about those guys so I won't duplicate it here I'll just mention that I am fairly well seasoned with the chickens, but a total noob where it comes to ducks and geese.

I'm really looking forward to getting involved here in the community both sharing what I know and have learned about chickens and also learning about the Ducks and Geese from the find folks here on the forum all ready.

Rob

 

Thanks for all the warm welcoming's !!!

Breeds for the Chickens I've had a lot of different breeds especially as a kid. Right now we have one gal who is an older sex link. 3 Rode Island Reds, 2 Americans and one American Rooster and boy is he a pretty bird, and heavy too. I really like this combination. The rodies are the real producers in the bunch egg wise, but I like the americans for the egg color variety. And also my American rooster is MUCH more aggressive and real protective of the flock which I think is a really good thing. Our sexlink rooster I don't think he did anything to protect the girls.

The ducks we have 4 ducks, three are khaki campbells, and one 500.
The geese are two buffs and two toulouses.

Might seem like an eclectic mix, but it's what we got!

Rob