FormulaXFD
Hatching
- Aug 11, 2015
- 9
- 2
- 9
Hello there,
I figured I would go through the line items from the suggestion:
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
Originally from Portland Oregon, I moved to New Hampshire so I had land that was more free to use than other places. On my two acres, I started getting into mini-farming with the help of books. One book said, "If you want to be serious about gardening, you will want a few chickens." I did some digging, and chose (surprise) New Hampshire chickens. I made an order of 12 at a local feed shop, with 5 going to a friend who also wanted to get going with chickens. On May 8th, my first ever batch of chicks arrived. When they did, I had a small, 2' x 4' brooder built for them. But as they grew, I thought their conditions were getting a bit cramped. I soon, quickly, expanded their brooder to 2' x 8', then began building their coop outside.
What surprised me, is how low maintenance they are. Check on them in the morning, check on them when I get home from work, and change the litter every other day. They have been such fun, that I started getting "the bug" while I was building their "rigid winterized coop" - an 8x10' insulated coop to protect them during the rather unpleasantly cold (for animals) winters we get here.
I decided to get some meat birds then, too. Six weeks later, I had 25 Cornish Cross Broiler chicks on my hands, with barely enough time to sanitize the old brooder and getting my NH chicks into their new coop. At this point, I had 32 chickens. But, the disease has its problems. After putting in a sizable investment in infrastructure for the birds, I ought to have enough birds to make it worth while. I ordered 15 additional NH chicks not too long ago. So...
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
At my peak (I lost 3 Cornish Cross chicks), I thought I had 44 birds. When I opted to count and verify my latest receiving, I was surprised to find that my order of 15 birds was actually 16 (This, turned out to be an interesting outcome, see (3)). So my true peak was 45 birds. Then 44 (I ate one), then 43 - one died mysteriously last week from Heat stress. So presently, 43.
(3) What breeds do you have?
I started with New Hampshire Chickens, then added some Cornish Cross Broilers, but I noticed recently that one of my chicks in the latest order was not feathering dark wings like all my other NH Birds. In fact, she had a light, poofy tail. I managed to get an escaped Buff Orpington chick.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
I have crossed this website a number of times while I've searched for various solutions to my ills (always in relation to my Cornish birds). I figured that it might be time to finally just register as the bug keeps getting worse.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I have a *lot* of hobbies. I'm an engineer by day, and everything from an RC quad pilot to a, HAM, Welder, Beermaker and cook at night (among other things).
So anyway, hello all.
Cheers!
I figured I would go through the line items from the suggestion:
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
Originally from Portland Oregon, I moved to New Hampshire so I had land that was more free to use than other places. On my two acres, I started getting into mini-farming with the help of books. One book said, "If you want to be serious about gardening, you will want a few chickens." I did some digging, and chose (surprise) New Hampshire chickens. I made an order of 12 at a local feed shop, with 5 going to a friend who also wanted to get going with chickens. On May 8th, my first ever batch of chicks arrived. When they did, I had a small, 2' x 4' brooder built for them. But as they grew, I thought their conditions were getting a bit cramped. I soon, quickly, expanded their brooder to 2' x 8', then began building their coop outside.
What surprised me, is how low maintenance they are. Check on them in the morning, check on them when I get home from work, and change the litter every other day. They have been such fun, that I started getting "the bug" while I was building their "rigid winterized coop" - an 8x10' insulated coop to protect them during the rather unpleasantly cold (for animals) winters we get here.
I decided to get some meat birds then, too. Six weeks later, I had 25 Cornish Cross Broiler chicks on my hands, with barely enough time to sanitize the old brooder and getting my NH chicks into their new coop. At this point, I had 32 chickens. But, the disease has its problems. After putting in a sizable investment in infrastructure for the birds, I ought to have enough birds to make it worth while. I ordered 15 additional NH chicks not too long ago. So...
(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
At my peak (I lost 3 Cornish Cross chicks), I thought I had 44 birds. When I opted to count and verify my latest receiving, I was surprised to find that my order of 15 birds was actually 16 (This, turned out to be an interesting outcome, see (3)). So my true peak was 45 birds. Then 44 (I ate one), then 43 - one died mysteriously last week from Heat stress. So presently, 43.
(3) What breeds do you have?
I started with New Hampshire Chickens, then added some Cornish Cross Broilers, but I noticed recently that one of my chicks in the latest order was not feathering dark wings like all my other NH Birds. In fact, she had a light, poofy tail. I managed to get an escaped Buff Orpington chick.
(4) How did you find out about BackYardChickens.com?
I have crossed this website a number of times while I've searched for various solutions to my ills (always in relation to my Cornish birds). I figured that it might be time to finally just register as the bug keeps getting worse.
(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I have a *lot* of hobbies. I'm an engineer by day, and everything from an RC quad pilot to a, HAM, Welder, Beermaker and cook at night (among other things).
So anyway, hello all.
Cheers!
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