Hi everyone!
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? I had chickens, ducks, turkeys, and guineas from 2007-2016, but a pair of bobcats picked them off while I was on business trips. I'm getting ready to Fort Knox level secure my side yard for a flock of 14 ducks.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now? Zero! But I just ordered 2x male and 12x female Welsh Harlequin ducklings from Metzer Farms, shipping March 9th. Woo hoo!
(3) What breeds do you have? ^^^ just these for now, but who knows what the future will bring? Previously I had Khaki Campbell ducks, Black Australorp chickens, and Midget White turkeys.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? I love how they're so intensely focused on being chickens. They're not intelligent in the "beat you at chess" kind of way, but they're super awesome at doing chicken stuff. I love daily egg gathering and treat time, after coming home from my 8-5 job. Very relaxing, in a mindfulness meditation way I don't experience with dogs and cats. Lap chickens are the best.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies? Firearms shooting, ammo reloading, and bullet casting. Cooking restaurant-quality meals for my loved ones. Traveling when and where I can.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share. Polyamorous, living alone, no other pets but kitty-curious, retired since 2017 from the U.S. Army and semi-retired from teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community? I was a relatively active member here but dropped out when I lost my flock. I can't remember how I initially found BYC, but in general I like to learn from *other people's* mistakes (and share my own oopsies) whenever I can. And the pay-it-forward aspect of this hobby, definitely.
Cheers! Bryan
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens? I had chickens, ducks, turkeys, and guineas from 2007-2016, but a pair of bobcats picked them off while I was on business trips. I'm getting ready to Fort Knox level secure my side yard for a flock of 14 ducks.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now? Zero! But I just ordered 2x male and 12x female Welsh Harlequin ducklings from Metzer Farms, shipping March 9th. Woo hoo!
(3) What breeds do you have? ^^^ just these for now, but who knows what the future will bring? Previously I had Khaki Campbell ducks, Black Australorp chickens, and Midget White turkeys.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? I love how they're so intensely focused on being chickens. They're not intelligent in the "beat you at chess" kind of way, but they're super awesome at doing chicken stuff. I love daily egg gathering and treat time, after coming home from my 8-5 job. Very relaxing, in a mindfulness meditation way I don't experience with dogs and cats. Lap chickens are the best.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies? Firearms shooting, ammo reloading, and bullet casting. Cooking restaurant-quality meals for my loved ones. Traveling when and where I can.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share. Polyamorous, living alone, no other pets but kitty-curious, retired since 2017 from the U.S. Army and semi-retired from teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
I was a relatively active member here but dropped out when I lost my flock. I can't remember how I initially found BYC, but in general I like to learn from *other people's* mistakes (and share my own oopsies) whenever I can. And the pay-it-forward aspect of this hobby, definitely. Cheers! Bryan
