Tell us about YOU

[brownfarms]

DH surprised our family with 12 chicks because he thought it would be fun and wanted fresh eggs. Then he thought it would be "fun" to hatch some on his own so we ended up with 20 (including FOUR roosters). (Me grumbling the ENTIRE way). We live on a nursery and his brothers thought it would be "fun" to get more chickens to sell the fresh eggs at the produce stand on our property. So then 33 babies showed up from MM. Since DH is fairly clueless in all things reality, I decided to take things into my own hands to make sure these chickens would be properly taken care. Here I sit now only 4 weeks later...a full blown chicken and BYC addict, totally in love with my babies with a full time job as a catering manager for a golf resort and a wonderful loving 6 year old boy who is the envy of all his friends. (Not many farms in San Diego)

 

[dacjohns]

How much do I really want to share with strangers.

Somewhere in the forums is a thread about how people got started with chickens. I think I posted there so if you are so inclined you can look it up.

Edited to add the link. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=53079

But for those who aren't here is a condensed version. I retired from the Army in 1999 and moved to 100 acres in Southern Illinois. Sometime during the next few years we decided we wanted chickens and got some eggs from a teacher or aide at the local school. We borrowed her incubator and hatched out some designer barnyard chicks (also known as mutts). We had about a 50% hatch rate and then lost others to various causes. It was rather discouraging. That might be part of the reason I haven't jumped into the whole incubator and hatching thing. We had eggs and an aggressive rooster that got cooked. Then the time came and I moved to New Mexico so we gave the chickens away.

When I got back to Southern Illinois I cleaned out the coop and run and a friend gave us his chickens. It was winter and they weren't laying so I think he just wanted to get rid of them. Then through a series of events with the friend involved (I'm really kind of a nice guy and didn't want to hurt his feelings) I ended up in my present situation. Way too many chickens and a full freezer.

Since my bedroom is on what we call the back of the house and I can see the chicken coop from my bedroom window I guess you can say my chickens are in the backyard.

It seems like there are very few males that participate in the forums. I am one of them. I also go by Dave so when I see someone addressing Davaroo as Dave I have to pause because it isn't me.

I don't want to get into the details of my growing up. Suffice it to say that I have some personal issues I am dealing with, I grew up in the sixties and started maturing in the seventies. I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for a Philosphy class. I've read Trout Fishing in America. I read a lot but my tastes have changed over the years although there is still am interest in what I read in my younger days.

I am fairly educated, have had lots of training in leadership and communications. Thus, my aggravation with posts I find hard to read. I have a Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a Master of Science in International Relations. I also have a bunch of education through the Army and more science course related to wildlife biology. Thus more aggravation with folklore being presented as scientific fact.

I have much more to say, maybe another time.

What is TMEN and MEN. Darned abbreviations and acronyms.

Spell check is cool.

Dang, that was a long post.

Changed psychology to philosophy.

 

[ibpboo]

What is TMEN and MEN. Darned abbreviations and acronyms.

Hey, niether of those are in the netlingo list!!

ETA oops I posted something that belonged in the other thread yikes​

 

[DuckyBoys]

Quote:
Yeah, I guess if I had read it in college instead of 4th grade it might have had more impact. I did a book report on Cannary Row in 11th grade and the teacher thought I only picked that book because it "was short". So I did Zen and the Art for the next book report and she never said another word to me...

But I tell you what, "In Watermelon Sugar" has haunted me my entire life...I'm STILL trying ot figure out what the he** watermelon sugar is.....

 

[tomstephens]

This whole chicken thing is new to me. I've never considered myself a farmer, or the type of person inclined to such things --- spent my whole life in the city. When my wife I got married I tried to convince her to get a downtown condo rather than a house a little farther out.

Then this past New Years Eve something odd happened, a rooster mysteriously appeared in our yard from no where. We'd never had chickens before nor did we know anything about them but we couldn't let him starve. We posted signs about him and gave him food. I didn't really know this about chickens at the time but basically as long as they have food they aren't real likely to leave.

Anyway, I did some research and found out that chickens are relatively easy to care for and so I decided that rather than getting rid of our one rooster, we'd give him companions. So now, I have my little army of chickens, all 15 of them and they destroy my yard, cause me much trouble as I fend off nasty predators and cost me more than they will provide in eggs and yet, I will keep them.

 

[Becaco]

First off let me say to those you who horrible childhoods, I am so sorry. No child should have to live like that. Kudos to those that have overcome.

My childhood was almost, Mayberry. I started dating my DH when I was 16 and he was 18. We got married when I graduated HS, and he enlisted in the AF. We spent 20 years in the military.

We bought this 20 acres 10 years ago, and it is still a work in progress. He just told me a couple of days ago, that he didn't think it would ever be "finished". Always something to do.

After we moved here I finally got my horses. Two old mares, one sway back and one with a bad foot. But, I finally had my horses.

We kept talking about getting chickens but never did. When GS18 was in HS and in the Ag class, he got meat chickens for his project. Guess where he kept them. This was about 4 years ago.

After they were butchered, he got some chicks and off we go. The coyotes got about 8 one morning. We haven't had anymore coyote trouble, one bobcat and one hawk. Some roaming dogs did get two of my best roosters.
Now we have about 38 2-3 year old hens and two roosters. We added 15 Delaware pullets and 1 Roo (3months old) and 17 Marans and 15 Welsummers. (2 1/2 months old) Sadly just about half of the Marans and Welsummers are Roosters. Now we have to decide which ones to keep.

We do let them free range. We enlarged their pen and have divided it into thirds. There are days (rarely) when we are gone and don't want them out.
We have the second chicken coop staked out and going to get started on it soon.

The two mares I had we have good homes for. Right now I have 6 registered QH's. Three dogs and several cats.

We have 3 grown children, Twin "boys" and one daughter. DD has the semi-grown GSs. And no out-laws to get in the way.

 

[65browneyes]

I'll have a turn.

My 'story' is very similar to some others I've read here. I liken myself an old "Nebraska farm girl", although I've never lived on an actual farm. I always said I was born 100 years too late. Oh, for the simpler days......

My mom grew up on a farm and, from what I'm told, my family lived on a farm when I was but a months-old pup. I have little memory of my younger years, prior to about 10. After reading on, you'll see why.

My father, too, was an alcoholic monster. Sometimes, I'm not sure if my brother or I got the worse end of his abuse. Father once hit brother so hard, brother's head put a hole in a solid oak door. Father severed brother's vas deferens in a mechanic's vice to teach him a lessen for coming home from a party with a 'hickey' on his neck.

My abuses were more verbal than physical, though I endured my share of physical as well. He reminded me daily that I was stupid, fat, and ugly and that NOONE would ever love me; that I was just a hinderance that kept him from having the things he really wanted.

My parents moved to Arizona from Nebraska supposedly to 'fix' their marriage. Found out later that my father moved us here so he could leave us here and he could return to Nebraska and the women he really wanted (there were several).

At any rate, I became a single mother (white trash, I think he called me) at 19. I was lost, lonely, and searching for my 'place' in the world. My child saved me. He made me realize my father was wrong, I AM worthy of love.

My husband and I have known each other for 30 years. We started dating 22 years ago, and married 6 months after that. I had friends tell me it would never last, that he would never "put up" with me for long. Course, they've since married and divorced twice.

We lived in an urban community for several years during the middle of our marriage, but bought the 7 'country' acres he grew up on 3 years ago. We are raising our 2 younger children (11 and 14) in the same home he grew up in. We know the history of our home. The hen house was out in the field 40+ years ago until FIL moved it to it's current location. The horses were housed in this area, goats there, lambs here. We even found a tin star DH cut for himself as a youngster (30 something years ago) laying in the dirt.

I wanted 5 chickens, and the flock has grown to 30 happy, healthy cluckers including 2 roos. I'd love to raise meat birds, but don't have the stomach for butchering. Never did. Mom used to get chickens and rabbits specifically for butchering when I was a girl and I hated it. To this day, I can't stand the thought of it. I could raise meat birds for somebody ELSE to butcher, but not me, and I couldn't take any of the processed birds back to consume.

I jokingly refer to DH as the great white hunter. Have no problem consuming what he's hunted but want no part of domestic animal consumption. Seems a bit strange, perhaps.

In closing, I'd like to say a few things I am grateful to my father (who died 11 years ago of Multiple Sclerosis) for is teaching me how to be a better parent by showing me how to be a horrible one. He taught me love by showing me hate and disdain. He taught me trust by not being trustful or trustworthy. He taught me the true value of my children and my family by allowing me to grow up without value.

Gawrsh......arncha glad you asked? LOL I was starting to sound like I was in a therapy session, huh? LOL



edited because in spite of my best editing prior to submission, I find I still can't spell...

 

[Davaroo]

TMEN, and the shortened MEN, are acronyms for
The Mother Earth News, or as we old hippies call it, simply "...Mother."

 

[Davaroo]

This is very nice, sort of a big "e-grouphug."

We tend to get caught up in our pet threads and being precisely right or ensuring that we be heard above the din. Its good to share something of ourselves without all the need to be exact or to win the point. When I did it, it hit me that others might enjoy the chance. Im pleased that David (dacjohn) kicked in so willingly. I wouldnt have expected him going in, I suppose.

This explains much and helps us all see ourselves and one another more clearly. I applaud all of you for your courage. To those who've had it tough, well, life is that way. Know that there are those who think well of you, regardless. I hope more people come on board.

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, I never had to endure any hardships but kudos to those who have made it!

Everything started with a pair of gold fish my parents let me bring back from a wedding... it turned in to larger tank, multiple tanks, more fish, mice, hamsters... and then at 12, I got my first chickens. I've now had chickens for a whole decade! Besides that, I just got my degree in Bioengineering at the U of Washington and will be pursuing a PhD in molecular and cellular biology. So really.. I'm pretty boring. Oh... I like to drive my car.