So did you jump in with both feet or?

[mylilchix]

It's amazing how many of us started out small and then things quickly got out of hand. I was planning on 12 hens at most. Then our flock has gradually grown. I kept saying my max would be 30 birds. That was 23 birds ago and more to come! lol

Sonja

 

[ChickyLaura]

Well, we went to a small local market. They had a promotion at Easter where you could buy 2 chicks and get a small bag of feed for $5. You could return the chicks if you wanted, or you could keep them. Then we went to TSC to get supplies for the 2 chicks that we originally intended to return! Well, now I have 18 chicks, and a bunch in the bator now! We are also planning on fencing in our whole yard for the chickens.

So, I think we're in up to our necks! LOL

I have to say that so far, I love being a chicky Mama!

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

Quote:
I know what you mean. I live in the city pretty much. But I have a good acre for chickens, and its a rural city. My neighbors have chickens as well and guineas. Its pretty funny when you have to slow down in the road for chickens to pass, that or run them over. Which we try not to do since we all love them around here. But its a busy road, right in front of the local headstart/youth center/park for our area.

But I started out with the goal in mind of just 10 birds max. Now I have 36 XD

 

[Chickenaddict]

Well I didn't want to start but DH gave me no choice. He ordered 50 chicks from MM and told me on a saturday the chicks would arrive on monday or tuesday after i begged him not to get any. I am the one who does everything around here including house repairs and lawn work on top of working so the last thing i needed was another full plate. Come monday morning 4 years ago the chicks had arrived and i raced to the PO to pick them up. After a few weeks of having them we lost over half to what we think was pnemonia from getting tooo cold during shipping. What a way to start a new hobby! I was devistated and tried my hardest to save the chicks but despite my efforts they were unable to be saved. We sold alot of the remaining chickens at a swap and kept a few for ourselves. Now 4 years later i am addicted to hatching and the chickens in general and we have 51 at the moment. I will be hatching and selling chicks probably all summer long, the thing with that is it is sooo hard to part with ANY of them once they grow up a bit and become even more adorable than they were when they were chicks. To get revenge on DH for opening up a HUGE can of worms with this hobby i took over his man cave and turned it into a massive garage coop

He is now going to build me a brand new shed this summer on top of the coop we already have and the garage coop which will turn into breeding pens for my serama flock.

He is probably very sorry for starting this whole thing but he also enjoys them just as much as i do

 

[raspeary]

My dear hubby mentioned something about chickens and I jumped on the idea, cause it was a chance for me to get more animals!! We didn't have anything ready. We are using two good size totes for the brooders. Only one of the brooders need the heat lamp. So far 8 chicks, soon to be 10 but then 4 are being butchered leaving us with the original planned 6. I jumped in all the way.

 

[mmtillman]

Quote:
Yep...city girl here too! Moved south from KCMO in '69 and never looked back! Got bit by the chicken bug 2 years ago....and now ....ordered 25 chicks and now are knee deep in them!!!! LOVE it!!

 

[MysticScorpio82]

I am a "jump in with both feet" kinda girl

I have never had chickens before (though I have read everything I possibly could about raising them for 3 years now). I just ordered 25 Buff Orpingtons from McMurray's hatchery, they are due to arrive at the end of june

My saving grace is my in-laws live next door and they used to raise ALOT of chickens (1000 meat birds and 3000 layers), so I have them to go to for help or advise, as well as this awesome forum!

 

[cybercat]

Well, knowing that we were going to be getting our own place with some acrearge I started studying about chickens. I research things well before time so I make few mistake or end up with sick animals. It took me a year to truely pick a breed to soley work with as I had a few I liked but since this was new I only wanted one. So out came the pros and cons list and the must have in a breed list to narrow choises.

 

[boxermom]

We moved to our dream farm last Sept. My DH grew up on the farm and hated chickens. I grew up in the country but did not have any animals except the feeder calves that we raised in the summers for a few years. I wanted animals!

My DH said I could have a few chickens to start out. I was ok w/ that. I started researching. (This is an addicting website.) The more I studied, the more I wanted. We wanted both meat and eggs, so I decided on BO's. I also had dreamed of colored eggs since my 3rd grade teacher took us to her farm for a field trip. Colored eggs!

Well, I decided that we needed 50. That's "a few" isn't it?

My DH was in FL when I called him and told him what I thought we needed. He "big sighed" me then said to order them. We picked them up a week ago. Also, 3 wks earlier, my DD's and I decided we needed 3 "practice chicks." DH went with us to pick them up at the feed store. (He didn't want his own) DH has been building everything I need w/o a complaint. He's been wonderful He even said that if we can keep the ones that we are wintering all winter, we can order whatever we want next spring and he will build what we need.

Did I mention I'm getting 4 (maybe 5

) turkey poults on Tues?...

 

[Luvducks]

We have Dogs, Cats, Horses so I thought I would get a couple of Ducks for fun. That was last month. I now have 5 ducks, 5 Bantam chicks and 18 eggs in the bator. Jumped in with both feet. Go all out or don't go!