Why Do You Love BYC? - Writing Contest - WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

[miss_jayne]

Quote:
Andy is the person running the game, but he stipulated that it is a writing contest, so he will correct me if i speak incorrectly.....

it is creative writing....write whatever you like in any style you like.

 

[WriterofWords]

I agree, it can be essay, prose, poetry, any form of writing. Just remember to watch your spelling and mechanics because these entries are so good it's going to come down to who spells internet or Internet correctly! Yes,, hehehehehehhe I get to grade the papers!

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

HOLD ON!

I thought we specifically agreed that they all must be in the form of Hiku !!!

Well, since MJ and WOW already posted it could be any creative form I'll let it slide...

But I sure hope we have at least one Hiku!

 

[saddina]

Love BYC, quail
ducks, chickens, turkey and geese.
Love members even more.

Just for you nifty.

 

[wanda047]

Why Do I Love BYC?

Over the past several years, I have joined many different forums. Fishing and hunting forums were always a favorite of mine as these are two of the passions that I share with my husband and children. I’ve learned a few things, and even shared my own knowledge and experiences. My membership on these forums have been short lived though as most are male dominated (females not wanted), many of the members argumentative or “know-it-alls”, and the language and jokes disgraceful and degrading. Often I felt uncomfortable. I would find myself scared to ask questions on these sites … scared of being belittled or embarrassed by lack of knowledge.

When I decided to raise chickens, I knew I was going to need some help. Unlike fishing and hunting which have been big parts of my life, raising chickens was something new. I had no experience or knowledge of backyard fowl. My intentions when joining was just to read the forums and search for answers when I needed them. I didn’t want to post questions or voice my opinions on anything. Heck, someone might think I was chicken-stupid! (And I was!)

When I finally got the nerve to introduce myself, I was immediately welcomed to the site by many. Again, I assumed this was short-lived. Might as well make the best of it, right? I posted photos of my beloved Mr. Jingles and Miss Muffin (my buff silkies) and eventually my buff orpingtons. I even posted photos of my family! It wasn’t long before I was actually asking some questions … really stupid questions no doubt, but no one laughed at me or belittled me in any way. What a breath of fresh air that was!

Recently, my daughter was injured in a tragic incident at home. I found a place on the board where I could share what happened. I needed an outlet to vent and express some of the pain I was feeling. I found those who were willing to listen, offer words of encouragement, lots of compassion, and even a few prayers were lifted up in my daughter’s behalf. I’ve not only found a place where I can gain knowledge about raising chickens, and other fowl, plus share what I have learned to help others, but I have found true friends and folks who really care about other human beings regardless of race or social standing.

My family and I depend on BYC when we have an issue with a member of our flock. How amusing it is to hear my husband ask, “What do they advise on BYC?” and especially when he complains about the hours I spend on this site. What a silly husband he is!

BYC is a special place. Its members are from all walks of the world; young and old, rich and poor. As different as we may be though, we share a common bond, which is our passion for our backyard flocks. BYC brings us together and gives us a place to meet, provides the means to learn and educate, and leaves the rest to us. Thank you BYC for allowing me to be a part of this great site.

 

[77horses]

~Why I Love BYC~

By: 77horses

I, like many other BYC enthusiasts, log onto Backyardchickens.com just about everyday. For me, it's not only because BYC is the best website to go to for an active forum with endless amounts of chicken knowledge (along with knowledge about other things) from people around the world, and it's not only because it's easy and free to register. But it's also because BYC is a wonderful place to just have fun and socialize with so many nice people. I love BYC because there are thousands of people who are willing to help you, give you advice, make you feel better if you've had a bad day, and the list goes on.

Before I joined BYC on August 19th, 2008, I knew little about chickens. At the time, my family and I had started a small flock of two young Red Star hens, 2 large Rhode Island Red roosters, and one huge, black New Jersey Giant rooster. And just before I joined BYC, a weasel had killed our two Red Star hens and the New Jersey Giant rooster. So I did research on how to get rid of weasels, and somehow I found BYC. I looked through all the forums out of curiosity, and found that it was a wonderful site with so much great information about raising chickens, turkeys, and other backyard fowl. It even had forums for other livestock and a forum for fun and games. So since it was free to register, I decided to join.

Ever since I joined I have learned so much from my fellow members on BYC. From hatching eggs to stuff that isn’t even related to chickens. BYC was there when I had questions about raising our new baby chicks, which we got about a month after the weasel attack. BYC was there when I had questions about when one of our roosters got frostbite last winter, and when some of our chickens had roundworms. BYC was there as I shared updates about our first broody hen and her eggs, and then when those eggs hatched. BYC was even there when I needed help with things that weren’t even related to chickens. So as you can tell, BYC has been very helpful ever since I joined.

Another reason why I love BYC is because of the moderators. They are so helpful; whether your having a technical problem on BYC, or if you find a thread that should be a sticky for other members to find. Just let the one of moderators know and they can be a big help. The moderators are also kind, friendly, and smart. Some of the moderators that have been helpful to me are: Debiraymond, miss_jayne, and speckledhen. Also, both terrielacy and Nifty-Chicken(who are the Admins) have been very helpful to both me and other BYCers.

What I also love about BYC is that I have a chance to help people, whether it’s giving my advice to non-chicken related stuff or giving advice to someone about chicken related stuff.

And lastly, another reason why I love BYC is because of the stories and pictures on here. Everyday when I log on (well, I’m actually always logged on…), I just love looking at all the pictures that people post, especially pictures of baby chicks! And I also love reading all the stories because each one is different. Some will make me sad, others will make me laugh until I wet myself, some will be inspiring, and others will just be thought provoking.

Overall, I love BYC because it’s helpful, useful, inspiring, and it makes learning about chickens and other poultry easy and fun. All the moderators, admins, and members are what mainly make BYC what it is; a wonderful website to learn new things about raising your own backyard flock and a great place to socialize with other people who share your passion for raising a backyard flock, and that’s what I love about Backyardchickens.com

 

[Sunny Side Up]

There isn't a single reason why I love BYC.

Instead, there are many. There was a time when keeping small flocks of backyard chickens was more commonplace. Knowledge about their care was as easy to find as talking with a neighbor. Other information on related subjects could be shared just as easily. In our modern, mostly urban culture, a lot of common knowledge about chicken care has been lost. Many of us are at least one generation removed from personal contact with live poultry. Few of us have neighbors with chickens also in their yards. The BYC website and especially the BYC forum provides a place where all sorts of information can be easily obtained from a congenial, knowledgeable community of poultry keepers.

Furthermore, the site is brilliantly organized and arranged. The sections in the website are as handy to browse as a set of encyclopedias on a library shelf, the information as easy to locate. The forum is also as convenient, with its variety of sections, arrangement of threads and posts, search capacity, private message options, ability to include photos, and more. There have been other websites and message boards I've visited to obtain information about keeping my chickens, but none as well arranged and easy to use as BYC.

In addition, the BYC forums are extremely well-maintained by diligent, dedicated moderators and administrators. There seems to be, for some people, a great temptation to misuse the anonymity of electronic communication, to spread lies and rumors, to be callous and cruel. Therefore, I really appreciate the courteous climate kept here, where even differences of opinions can be aired without hostility. Although some discussions have, in my opinion, been closed prematurely, I'd rather see that than the malevolence found in some other discussion forums.

Most of all, I love BYC for the community. It provides a special opportunity to interact with people from around the world, of all ages and backgrounds, with a fantastic variety of opinions and personalities. Our common ground is the good care of our chickens. From there we find a multitude of ways we connect. I love that I can find both detailed information on the best way to cull a chicken and empathic condolences for that same chicken's demise. I can share what I know and learn more from others. We can converse about birds, bees, batteries, babies, books, or burdens. We cheer each other up and on.

I came to BYC to share information about caring for my chicken flock, and found a caring community of flock owners with whom to share my time. These worthwhile interactions make up the many reasons why I love BYC.

 

[Omran]

Man if I can write that long of stories I will gift you The GFM

With my big fingures on the keyboard I might destroy the poor thing

Omran

 

[havi]

Okay lets see if I can get this right..


BYC speaks up
it's my rescue all the time
with kind hearted folks


Try not to laugh too hard.

 

[Zahboo]

Log on everyday
Talk with friends and strangers too
See all the chickens

LOL