This city girl and her husband bought some land and moved out to the country a little over six years ago. I never had chickens, never wanted chickens - who would want such nasty, dirty, smelly things????
Then we bought our first chickens. What kind? They were bantams. I thought that was the breed and didn't ask further. I never dreamed there were hundreds of different breeds of chickens. A chicken was a chicken! We discovered Brahmas, Marans, Cochins, Orpingtons, and a whole world of breeds. We tried a lot of them, stuck with Brahmas.
I thought eggs were either white or brown, not light tan, dark tan, medium tan, chocolate brown, green, blue, pink, etc.
I thought you had to have a rooster for your girls. Well, I now have 10, not because I still think that but because they are beautiful and funny.
Oh, and I thought roosters only crowed at sunrise - HA!
I thought chickens ate only scratch. Now I feel sorry for tree frogs and lizards!
I thought chickens were stupid, until I housebroke one and she learned to come to her name. Others have learned their names and know where the treats are. I also didn't expect such a variety of personalities.
I thought hawks and coyotes only lived in forests and ate wild things (I guess they didn't read the rule book). I didn't have a clue what raccoons and possums ate.
In a short six years I have become that "Crazy Chicken Lady." I go to farmer's markets to see what I can buy for my "feathered children." I love to sit outside and watch, usually with one or two fighting for lap space. People ask me about chickens. They come to me for advice. They come to visit my flock and to buy hatching eggs. Who would have thought?????
Oh, and by the way, when I bury my face in my chickens' feathers, I don't think they are nasty and smelly any more. They smell a little bit like what I expect heaven to smell like.
Then we bought our first chickens. What kind? They were bantams. I thought that was the breed and didn't ask further. I never dreamed there were hundreds of different breeds of chickens. A chicken was a chicken! We discovered Brahmas, Marans, Cochins, Orpingtons, and a whole world of breeds. We tried a lot of them, stuck with Brahmas.
I thought eggs were either white or brown, not light tan, dark tan, medium tan, chocolate brown, green, blue, pink, etc.
I thought you had to have a rooster for your girls. Well, I now have 10, not because I still think that but because they are beautiful and funny.
Oh, and I thought roosters only crowed at sunrise - HA!
I thought chickens ate only scratch. Now I feel sorry for tree frogs and lizards!
I thought chickens were stupid, until I housebroke one and she learned to come to her name. Others have learned their names and know where the treats are. I also didn't expect such a variety of personalities.
I thought hawks and coyotes only lived in forests and ate wild things (I guess they didn't read the rule book). I didn't have a clue what raccoons and possums ate.
In a short six years I have become that "Crazy Chicken Lady." I go to farmer's markets to see what I can buy for my "feathered children." I love to sit outside and watch, usually with one or two fighting for lap space. People ask me about chickens. They come to me for advice. They come to visit my flock and to buy hatching eggs. Who would have thought?????
Oh, and by the way, when I bury my face in my chickens' feathers, I don't think they are nasty and smelly any more. They smell a little bit like what I expect heaven to smell like.
Like puppy breath - either you love it or you hate it. I love the smell of my chickens.
