(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
I have ALWAYS been VERY interested in birds. As a child, I ALWAYS wanted a duck. So far, I have NOT gotten my duck, but I WILL!! I did however purchase 4 White Leghorn pullets at my local Tractor Supply store about a year ago. Once they reached about 5 weeks of age and had feathered out, we moved them to an outdoor coop. A few weeks later we got a notice saying we had to get rid of them because our property is not large enough (the coop has to be 100 ft away from all property lines). I didn't know that. PLUS, another neighbor a few doors down has a couple of chickens, so I believed it was ok. Maybe they paid a fee to be able to do so, as we were told we can petition to be able to keep them. I believe our new neighbor complained, even though you never heard or smelled our girls (I was using the deep litter method in the coop, and we only had 4 females.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
At the moment, I do not have any poultry, i'm sad to say. :'(
(3) What breeds do you have?
I WANT to have: Ayam Cemani, Black Sumatra, Black, Crele, Partridge, and Wheaten Penedesencas, Whiting True Blue, Whiting True Green, and Leghorns. I ALSO want ducks, geese, and turkeys.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
I enjoy watching the birds, having FRESH eggs where I know the hens are more than just egg-laying machines. I want my ladies to have a more natural, happy life.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I really enjoy gardening. Swimming is something I love, but don't get to do very often.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I am married to the love of my life. We've just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary, but have been together for 18 years. My children (2 sons) are grown and have each blessed me with a grandson.
We have plans to move to TN from PA within the next year. Our goal is to have at least 10 acres so we can raise our poultry, fruit and nut trees, veggies, berries, etc. I'd like to raise rare breeds of poultry to help preserve them. In addition, I'd like to experiment with crosses to develop chickens that lay something other than ordinary white, brown, pale blue, and green. From what I've read, sometimes the first generation will lay the desired color, but subsequent ones won't. So I think it will be a fun project/experiment.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
The first time I found BYC was when I was researching about my little White Leghorn pullets. I was trying to find pictures of what they would look like each week, and how to be sure they were pullets. My neighbors are close, and I wanted to be sure they would not be disturbed with a rooster crowing at the crack of dawn! Lol! That was about a year and a half ago.
As I noted, I have plans for a farm/homestead of my own. I've been TRYING - with limited success - to locate breeders for the 4 breeds Penedesenca chickens. So far I have not found anyone who has the Wheatens. Well, I found Summer Rose, but it seems they have gone out of business. I've been trying to scour the NPIP lists, which you have to do by locating the breed code and then searching the lists for the code for each state. I found a FB group, it seems the guy who started hasn't been on there for years. Soooo.....I figured I'd sign up for my go-to-source on chicken information so I can ask here. SOMEONE on this forum either has to raise these birds or knows someone who does.
I have ALWAYS been VERY interested in birds. As a child, I ALWAYS wanted a duck. So far, I have NOT gotten my duck, but I WILL!! I did however purchase 4 White Leghorn pullets at my local Tractor Supply store about a year ago. Once they reached about 5 weeks of age and had feathered out, we moved them to an outdoor coop. A few weeks later we got a notice saying we had to get rid of them because our property is not large enough (the coop has to be 100 ft away from all property lines). I didn't know that. PLUS, another neighbor a few doors down has a couple of chickens, so I believed it was ok. Maybe they paid a fee to be able to do so, as we were told we can petition to be able to keep them. I believe our new neighbor complained, even though you never heard or smelled our girls (I was using the deep litter method in the coop, and we only had 4 females.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
At the moment, I do not have any poultry, i'm sad to say. :'(
(3) What breeds do you have?
I WANT to have: Ayam Cemani, Black Sumatra, Black, Crele, Partridge, and Wheaten Penedesencas, Whiting True Blue, Whiting True Green, and Leghorns. I ALSO want ducks, geese, and turkeys.
(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
I enjoy watching the birds, having FRESH eggs where I know the hens are more than just egg-laying machines. I want my ladies to have a more natural, happy life.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I really enjoy gardening. Swimming is something I love, but don't get to do very often.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
I am married to the love of my life. We've just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary, but have been together for 18 years. My children (2 sons) are grown and have each blessed me with a grandson.
We have plans to move to TN from PA within the next year. Our goal is to have at least 10 acres so we can raise our poultry, fruit and nut trees, veggies, berries, etc. I'd like to raise rare breeds of poultry to help preserve them. In addition, I'd like to experiment with crosses to develop chickens that lay something other than ordinary white, brown, pale blue, and green. From what I've read, sometimes the first generation will lay the desired color, but subsequent ones won't. So I think it will be a fun project/experiment.
(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?
The first time I found BYC was when I was researching about my little White Leghorn pullets. I was trying to find pictures of what they would look like each week, and how to be sure they were pullets. My neighbors are close, and I wanted to be sure they would not be disturbed with a rooster crowing at the crack of dawn! Lol! That was about a year and a half ago.
As I noted, I have plans for a farm/homestead of my own. I've been TRYING - with limited success - to locate breeders for the 4 breeds Penedesenca chickens. So far I have not found anyone who has the Wheatens. Well, I found Summer Rose, but it seems they have gone out of business. I've been trying to scour the NPIP lists, which you have to do by locating the breed code and then searching the lists for the code for each state. I found a FB group, it seems the guy who started hasn't been on there for years. Soooo.....I figured I'd sign up for my go-to-source on chicken information so I can ask here.
SOMEONE on this forum either has to raise these birds or knows someone who does.
Glad you joined.
Hello and welcome to BYC, You found an Amazing Poultry Community to be a part of with many great knowledgeable members, who are more then willing to jump in and help you along your journey with any questions you may have. 
