New to PTO
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:24 am
Hello all.
I just joined the group and am looking forward to learning from and chatting with you all. My husband and I are recent country converts - we bought 2 acres just west of Chatham about 2 years ago. We call it Korclair Farm, which is a combination of our last names. We have a small chicken flock-started with 5 RIR's last year and added 8 hens this year: 2 orpingtons, 1 black copper maran, 3 chanteclers, and recently 2 ee pullets. Since we wanted to branch out the breeds we purchased chicks from several folks around SW Ontario. We had 18 chicks and ended up with only 6 hens! Bum odds. So, with the help of a very helpful neighbour, we had our first rooster killing on Canada Day weekend. Anyways, we are having a lot of fun with the hens but also are learning tough lessons - our hens stopped laying when the roosters started harassing them and each other, and two of our older (but less than years old) have died this summer - i think from heat exhaustion. We also have a chicken that went broody and just hatched a cute little chick out this week! Circle of life.
In addition to the chickens, we have a dog and 2 bee hives. The hives are new this year and doing really well. I melted down my first batch of bees wax last week and it was beautiful.
We also have a veggie garden that doesn't get enough attention, but keeps us pretty well fed.
I'm happy to be here and look forward to chatting with you all!
I just joined the group and am looking forward to learning from and chatting with you all. My husband and I are recent country converts - we bought 2 acres just west of Chatham about 2 years ago. We call it Korclair Farm, which is a combination of our last names. We have a small chicken flock-started with 5 RIR's last year and added 8 hens this year: 2 orpingtons, 1 black copper maran, 3 chanteclers, and recently 2 ee pullets. Since we wanted to branch out the breeds we purchased chicks from several folks around SW Ontario. We had 18 chicks and ended up with only 6 hens! Bum odds. So, with the help of a very helpful neighbour, we had our first rooster killing on Canada Day weekend. Anyways, we are having a lot of fun with the hens but also are learning tough lessons - our hens stopped laying when the roosters started harassing them and each other, and two of our older (but less than years old) have died this summer - i think from heat exhaustion. We also have a chicken that went broody and just hatched a cute little chick out this week! Circle of life.
In addition to the chickens, we have a dog and 2 bee hives. The hives are new this year and doing really well. I melted down my first batch of bees wax last week and it was beautiful.
We also have a veggie garden that doesn't get enough attention, but keeps us pretty well fed.
I'm happy to be here and look forward to chatting with you all!
Welcome to PTO!!!!! i do believe you got those 2 ee pullets from me last weekend LOL. glad you made it over to the forum! there are lots of great folks here that will happily aid and abet and support any poultry addiction you are currently fostering!
