Official BYC Poll: How Long Have You Been Raising Chickens?

[SJMike]

...My family decided to get chickens. We picked winter hardy breeds that would lay a decent amount of eggs, barred rocks, rhode island reds, jersey giants. We later added in light brahmas and welsummers. Don't have any recent pics, but have a pic of one of my boys, a red sex link, Cornflakes and some of the hens

What a handsome white roo!

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

What a handsome white roo!

Thanks!

 

[jes1766]

It’s been 8 years since we had any chickens. Starting with 9 this time!

 

[Cwestlake]

My ladies turned 1 year old March 25th(, A month ago we bought four more chicks are 1 month on March 24th bottom picture )❤

 

[emMAyTeeTee]

First it started with a chance find at a book resaler. I happened upon a book that was published in the late 1930's on raising chickens specifically and touches on other poultry types in some detail on how they vary from chickens. Everything there was to know about chickens at that time was in this wonderful book. It was a fun find as I like old books on interesting things. It soon turned into a page turner I read through twice cover to cover. I was even taking notes! I had a small flock of ducks to play with when I was six and seven years old so I suppose I could say my interest in poultry keeping started then. We kept rabbits for a time into my teens. But the old green book on chickens is what really got me enthusiastic about the species.
I've bought some more (modern) books on chickens and even came across a stack of old feather fancier and fancy fowl. The stack is about two feet high! So I've done my homework and I have a bit more to do before I settle on a coop design and location. I've found that I want a farm yard mixed hobbyists flock not a large production affair. One of my neighbors has a variety of poultry in the barn yard. Lines of ducklings following momma from the duck house in the old orchard to the mud puddles behind the horse paddock. They are also of interest to me though I don't have anywhere for a pond for them.
I like the look of the fat old fashioned dual purpose breeds. Cochin /Orpington will likely be where I start. Maybe some barred rocks. We have a bit of open lawn here, about three acres of lawn for a flock to range on.

 

[emMAyTeeTee]

View attachment 2009567

Gorgeous! What's the breed?

 

[Manhen]

First it started with a chance find at a book resaler. I happened upon a book that was published in the late 1930's on raising chickens specifically and touches on other poultry types in some detail on how they vary from chickens. Everything there was to know about chickens at that time was in this wonderful book. It was a fun find as I like old books on interesting things. It soon turned into a page turner I read through twice cover to cover. I was even taking notes! I had a small flock of ducks to play with when I was six and seven years old so I suppose I could say my interest in poultry keeping started then. We kept rabbits for a time into my teens. But the old green book on chickens is what really got me enthusiastic about the species.
I've bought some more (modern) books on chickens and even came across a stack of old feather fancier and fancy fowl. The stack is about two feet high! So I've done my homework and I have a bit more to do before I settle on a coop design and location. I've found that I want a farm yard mixed hobbyists flock not a large production affair. One of my neighbors has a variety of poultry in the barn yard. Lines of ducklings following momma from the duck house in the old orchard to the mud puddles behind the horse paddock. They are also of interest to me though I don't have anywhere for a pond for them.
I like the look of the fat old fashioned dual purpose breeds. Cochin /Orpington will likely be where I start. Maybe some barred rocks. We have a bit of open lawn here, about three acres of lawn for a flock to range on.

Do you remember the title of the original book you used?

 

[Jedstar]

Bout 3 years now

 

[Manhen]

Bout 3 years now

3 years down under is 1/3 no?

 

[BY Bob]

What got you interested in raising chickens?
​

we have wanted to raise chickens for years, but we lived in cities with laws prohibiting them. We found our few acres in the country in fall of 2018, and bought our first set of chicks in spring 2019.


What breeds did you start with, how many, and do you have any pictures to share?

To start we have 2 golden laced Wyandotte (1 is a rooster), 2 silver laced Wyandotte, and 2 barred rock.

[/QUOTE]
What a beautiful flock!