I started back in 1970,when my Dad brought home the last two birds,both Dark Brahmas,because he was selling his auto repair shop,where he kept them,.One of them,appropriately named "Fats",lived to be 10.She was a massive Brahma,and to this day,still has set the standard for the best-behaved and people friendly hen I ever had.Because of her,I have made sure that there are always Brahmas in my flock.After the last of her two companions died in 1980,I took a 15 year break,before discovering a "pullet in a feed store,who,after a couple months,shed "her" disguise,to be a Rooster,a Cochin,who also lived to be 10. Most all of the flock I have now are a bunch of Geriatrics-it's become a retirement community! The average age is around 8-10 years. I just recently lost the oldest chicken I've ever had,a Brown Leghorn hen,who lived to the ripe old age of 14-1/2! The longest living breeds I have raised,are the Cochins,and in particular the Bantam Cochins,a full size Black Cochin,the D'uccles,and a couple Japanese,who,at ages 10-12 years,are now the oldest in my flock. It's lots of attention,frequent handling,clean bedding,and fresh food and FRESH WATER that does it-plus,predator-proof housing and avoiding temperature extremes.If I'm not comfortable,neither are they,so I make it comfortable.
Every year,I used to give my Dark Brahma hen,"Fats",a jelly-filled donut for her birthday-it was her favorite treat,and she was NOT about to share it with her two younger companions!I was actually thinking about this the other day. My brother made a comment about my favorite chicken, an Australorp named Ostrich Lord, is the boss of the fowl yard. She'll whoop someone's butt before our roo would. Anyway, I said it's because she's old...and she's probably old because she's so darn tough. Which got me thinking about how old she is. This ol' girl is just shy of 10 yrs old! I feel like I owe her a birthday cake now.
My husband was a rancher with a great many species, and I, also raised on a vineyard, had all the general animals around but we also had a coup. I used to talk to the chickens and bantys when I was a young child.. Now retired, we wanted something new to raise. We have always fed a lot of wild birds in several states, so we decided on chickens. (only 6), but in a couple years, it dropped to 3. Ours are more pets than producers, but we love them and spoil them rotten. They have also adapted quickly to a pet turkey, my husband loved from our Montana ranch....she also sits on my husbands lap and watches tv. Sleeps on a large wooden box outside the bedroom window so she can see her Daddy. (I said spoiled, didn't I) LOL
Having backyard chickens had just started to become popular here in Juneau, Alaska about 8 or so years ago. I wanted to have chickens (for eggs) for a number of years before we finally got our original three hens. Six years ago I got my hens when they had just started laying. They were given to me by a friend who realized they really didn’t have the space for them. We bought their coop and we were off! Little did we know how much work it would be to create the pen and add the necessary electric fencing. Lots of bears frequent our area so electric fencing is really a mousy. Our hens were two Plymouth rocks and an Auracana. Great layers and friendly birds.
That was supposed to say - electric fencing is a necessity.
