jlasmom
Hatching
- May 7, 2016
- 1
- 0
- 7
Hi, all,
I'm new to chickens, having grown up in New York City, where I didn't see a whole lot of farm-type activity (although I've been told chickens in NY is not uncommon, as their ordinances are pretty lax). I now live in Utah with my young family, and over the next few months we'll be moving from a 1/3-acre property to a .58-acre property closer to my husband's job (this will be a GREAT move for many reasons, #1 being a shorter commute for him!), and we'll finally start planning to get our first batch of birds.
I'll most likely wait until next year, but the planning has already begun. I've read tons of books on the subject, but the idea is still a little foreign to me (I'm a city girl with a country heart!), and I'm raring to get my hands dirty and "learn by doing!" My kids are homeschooled, so this will be a great experience for them, too, and I look forward to having them help and learn right alongside me. My in-laws live a couple of hours away on a couple acres, and they have a few chicks this year, so I always look forward to when we visit so I can watch them and learn a little more.
I'm leaning toward Brahmas and Orpingtons as I've read they are pretty cold- and heat-tolerant, and being in Utah, which is pretty much all mountains and desert, we get some pretty hot days, and pretty cold ones, too. I've also been told they have a tendency to be very calm and easygoing, which sounds like a good thing with my hands-on kids (and a nervous city slicker of a mom!)
We also have a cat who occasionally spends time in the yard and who is quite gentle (but you never know with cats) so I like the idea of having larger birds that my kitty would hopefully leave alone (my plan's to keep them separated, of course, but I know accidents happen). I'd love a little more input as far as my choice, and I look forward to researching more. Egg size and color don't matter to me, nor does production all that much - I just want happy, healthy birds that won't mind a little lovin' from our family.
Anyway, don't mind me as I lurk and ask questions and admire all of your beautiful birds, and dream of when (someday soon!) I'll have a flock of my own!
-M
I'm new to chickens, having grown up in New York City, where I didn't see a whole lot of farm-type activity (although I've been told chickens in NY is not uncommon, as their ordinances are pretty lax). I now live in Utah with my young family, and over the next few months we'll be moving from a 1/3-acre property to a .58-acre property closer to my husband's job (this will be a GREAT move for many reasons, #1 being a shorter commute for him!), and we'll finally start planning to get our first batch of birds.
I'll most likely wait until next year, but the planning has already begun. I've read tons of books on the subject, but the idea is still a little foreign to me (I'm a city girl with a country heart!), and I'm raring to get my hands dirty and "learn by doing!" My kids are homeschooled, so this will be a great experience for them, too, and I look forward to having them help and learn right alongside me. My in-laws live a couple of hours away on a couple acres, and they have a few chicks this year, so I always look forward to when we visit so I can watch them and learn a little more.I'm leaning toward Brahmas and Orpingtons as I've read they are pretty cold- and heat-tolerant, and being in Utah, which is pretty much all mountains and desert, we get some pretty hot days, and pretty cold ones, too. I've also been told they have a tendency to be very calm and easygoing, which sounds like a good thing with my hands-on kids (and a nervous city slicker of a mom!)
We also have a cat who occasionally spends time in the yard and who is quite gentle (but you never know with cats) so I like the idea of having larger birds that my kitty would hopefully leave alone (my plan's to keep them separated, of course, but I know accidents happen). I'd love a little more input as far as my choice, and I look forward to researching more. Egg size and color don't matter to me, nor does production all that much - I just want happy, healthy birds that won't mind a little lovin' from our family. Anyway, don't mind me as I lurk and ask questions and admire all of your beautiful birds, and dream of when (someday soon!) I'll have a flock of my own!
-M
