Well I just like chickens too every breed has something I like. I once had a pretty good number of birds mix flock of breeds years ago, pre-forum days. But for along time where I live now chickens were a no no... but I missed them and decided to just start learning more at my own pace on the net, reading studies and discovered BYC... for the day I retire and move to chicken friendly local, so for years I just read as I could not bring any peeps home. Posted once in a while on something I felt I knew from previous bird ownership but lurked mostly learning new stuff, I figured when I could keep again I could do it better, not that I had big issues in my previous flock other than predator issues. The new diseases are what scared me the most. Then the local laws changed and finally I could have birds again!
So after building the micro coop, making it as predator proof as I could without electrifying it... I went chick hunting, I could only bring pullets home so that limited me to laying breeds... I decided on 2 EEs as they are smaller birds, I had them before, and hubby likes blue eggs. I tried really hard to find Jungle Fowl as I had had them too and just adored them, but alas that was a no go.
It has been a few years since I brought my pets home... the EEs are pets, but also my lab rats. I am very interested in their behaviors, one thing I have decided small flocks of two hens is not the best for the pecking order, I had less issues with a larger flock. But their tiffs mean I am learning new things to fix them up or prevent the tiffs.
It is time though to consider expanding the flock I am thinking Cornish are on the top of the list. So watching all sorts of sexing techniques... I got one I use even if chicks are presexed as the hatcheries get it wrong... I learned in the old days of keeping from the Vietnamese it has never failed me, but the net says it is folk myth I think those folks are doing it wrong, but I figure now is a good time to learn alternate methods too like wing sexing and so on. I am not allowed roosters
Naturally I want one... if I bring one home I would try to keep it, I know me... so the best thing right now is not to bring any boy chicks home by accident. I just watched a Video on how to sex Asil not in English but I figured it out... it uses wing and interestingly the tail shape.
I give my extra eggs away at work... we have a food give away spot for folks who need food for their families or themselves... fruits, veggies, eggs, and sometimes folks who have second job or used to work here bring in food that can not be delivered (produce froze in the truck) or is a day away from expiring... the frozen stuff I cook down in the shops kitchen and then everyone gets free lunch. Summer is critical for people as the staff only makes about 1/4 their normal income. So I just give extra away myself so my coworkers have food especially the elderly employees who can no longer work at what I do and have had to take a pay cut and hour cut to switch positions but stay employed with good health care.
government logic, we even celebrate chickens here... roosters here are like cows in India, but illegal if you keep in your yard, so dumb), or rehome, or I could have a house rooster... come on I know me I would try option 4 first. I don't have an issue killing them for dinner, done it, I just miss having Roos too. Sigh. I am the crazy chicken lady at heart.
