With all the things I am learning, I was just thinking about what got me started with chickens. And was wondering what kinds of stories like mine are out there.... So I would like to see. As I gather my thoughts to words maybe someone would like to share first.
We used to live in the city in CA... Long story short... We decided to get some chickens, and now we have a nice little farmette.
I am from the middle of nowhere Iowa. Where quite literally my first experience with chickens was butcher time. (The old fashioned caldron boiling over fire wood. A smell that never leaves my memory.) Every year from the time I was a teen-ager until I left home for the military we'd have to help the neighbors butcher... It took a long time for me to ever eat chicken again. Fast forward a little more than 20years... My then boyfriend (now husband) would talk where we wanted to be by retirement age. The big picture was we wanted a farm. No more city life away from the busy busy busy... So a little at a time we rented a cheap place to live and away from that a few acres of land he'd been renting for his horses. Our first goal was to start a herd of cattle. And we bought 2 bottle calves. (Fast forward to 20head of cattle.) The neighbors next to the pasture had a bad habit of not taking care of their animals. There were many times I'd have free a goat from the fence or feel sorry for the domestic rabbits that were running free. Amongst those the had chickens who would find there way to our barn. At first it was just a single rooster (that my husband called Tornado. I don't know what kind he was but I have a picture I will post with this.) Well he brought his girlfriends one at a time. Every visit became an egg hunt. I had so much fun. So we decided that when we got our own place we'd get chickens.. researching what we'd like decided on mainly RIR. A year ago we got our farm. We are up 30 head of cattle & the first chick days at the local feed store we brought home 10 Cornish cross chicks, and 5 of some mixed whatever's and 25 straight run RIR.. Not wanting to butcher I gave the Cornish away.(they got huge)the whatevers turned out to be barred rocks and all roosters. But all the RIR were hens. And that is where we are now.
My story... I grew up loving all animals, particularly horses, but we were a military family and moved a lot, so the only pet we could have was a dog and a cat. My husband, on the other hand, grew up doing 4H, raising and showing sheep, pigs, and steers. After we got married, we moved to Montana, and when we were looking for a house to buy, our big priority was to have some land and get some animals. We didn't look at any houses with less than an acre of land, or any houses with covenants and homeowners associations. We got a place with almost 8 acres, and got our first batch of six chicks. And I fell in absolute love with the little things. I had thought they'd be fun, but I hadn't realized just how much joy they would be. I played with them, I sang to them, I spent hours sitting with them and letting them explore. Then I found BYC and was relieved that there were other chicken obsessed people like me, and that I wasn't a nut after all!
I always wanted chickens, but until about a year ago I never had the opportunity to have them. I previously lived in a modest-sized house in the middle of town, with small garden and close neighbours - I didn't think it would be fair to keep the chickens in such a small space. A year ago I moved to a much more rural area, so it was the ideal opportunity to get the chickens I'd always wanted. I wanted to see the whole process through, so I bought Welsummer and Cream Legbar hatching eggs from a local supplier. I've now got five chickens - three Cream Legbar pullets and two Welsummers. In the Spring time I plan on getting another 3 or 4, but I'm thinking of hybrids next time - probably Columbian Blacktails. Photos of my girls in my galleries.
I've wanted chickens for several years, but didn't start the process until a couple of years ago. I started researching online, and I found this wonderful site. Over the course of a summer, I built the coop. Usually at night, with music, and beer. Using materials my Dad brought home from work. Sometimes I would go to bed after 2am, and work the next day. The coop was built in the garage, thus the ability to build at night. Moving the coop, once it was finished was the hardest part. Those lawn mower wheels were used beyond their capacity and failed. lol Skipping ahead... I have 6 happy, egg laying chickens. The coop is entering it's second winter. First for the chickens. There's my girls.
