@Boppo
Come say hello to @Boppo who comes to us from Massachusetts and has been a member since February 2022.
Come say hello to @Boppo who comes to us from Massachusetts and has been a member since February 2022.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. And is there a story behind your member name?
I grew up in Lexington, KY, and was lucky enough to have not only dogs and cats, but horses in my life. I never had chickens, though, until I lived in New England.
I have lived in Lexington, KY, then moved as an adult to St. Louis, and finally to just outside of Boston. We moved for jobs. I was the breadwinner in my family, so it was my job we moved for. I worked in law school libraries, first as a general librarian, then up to Boston to take a job as library director.
I enjoyed my work very much, as you can see from my collection of helpful articles and instructions on how best to search. You might get the woman out of the library, but you can't get the library out of the woman.
My user name, Bop, comes from how my son called me when he was a toddler. Crazily enough, it's the same name my next younger brother got from his first grandson. Who knew it was such a popular way for little kids to mispronounce?!
2. Why and when did you start keeping poultry?
I just have had chickens for nearly 3 years now, so I am still a newbie. I got chickens (and then, coturnix quail) shortly after we had to put my husband into a memory ward. He has Alzheimers, and would insist on walking, though he more often got lost on his outings. It got scary as cold weather moved in! I guess my birds are kind of a consolation for becoming an Alzheimer Widow.
3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
I really enjoy watching the birds, and love it when they will come to stand on my lap. They are very soothing to hang out with. I like watching the group dynamics, as well, especially when it changes.
Of course, I love getting the eggs, especially when I get enough to share with neighbors.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
I have to say my favorite hen is Little Red, a buckeye. She lamed herself in early days by catching her toes in some wire mesh, and pulling so hard it damaged her hock. I think we often get most attached to those who need more care.
Besides Little Red, I have quite a small flock. Her adult pals include Orangella, an Amber sexlink who is quite friendly, and may be the new lead hen. Then there is Martha White (folks in the South will recognize that as a favorite brand of muffin mix, cornbread mix and cornmeal). Martha White must be a hybrid or mutt, though I got her from Meyers Hatchery. She came as the extra chick in an order, so I have no idea. She is mostly white with small black flecks. But she is a stately bird, when her feathers are all in, with a LOT of fluff. She seems much too hefty to match the photos I see of Austra White, though that might be her. She was the next most recent lead hen.
I originally ordered and received 3 Buckeyes, and 2 Amber sexlinks. 2 of the Buckeyes died within a day of arrival. I asked Meyers for a refund, and they gave it to me. So I had 4 surviving birds, with Martha White added to my order. One of the sexlinks was the original lead hen. I called her Orange-zilla (not very original I am afraid). She was killed by a hawk one day when they were out foraging and I had stepped into the house.
I recently got 3 fertile eggs from Meyers, and hatched 2 of them for 2 Black Australorps. At first, they seemed pretty much the same size. But soon one got much bigger than the other (though both seemed to be eating well). The big one had HUGE feet so I thought that was going to be a very large bird. Sadly, both birds were killed not long after I moved them out to the main coop. I am still sad about that. I fear the larger bird may well have been a cockerel, so in a way, that hawk took care of a potential problem for me. I am not allowed to have roosters in my town. I wonder if any of the Buckeyes that died might have been males?
5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
When I recently added the 2 young Australorps I had hatched out, I carried them to the main pen using a soft sided carry case for animals. I foolishly left the zipper partly open (not much, I thought). First one bird, then the other squeezed out as I lugged the bag. This was near sunset, and on a rainy day. These birds had never seen the yard or rain before, having hatched in my garage. They were outraged at the rain, but not going back into my bag, either. I am afraid I was equally outraged and taught those birds some naughty words!
I tried twice more to get those birds, failing each time. I got worried that they would perish from the cold rain, or that I might not be able to locate them in the dark, as they moved around. Finally, I got first one and then the other using a net I had gotten to catch flying quail. I pulled them out of the net and put them under my arms (look, Ma, no bag!). I carried them in the rainy dark back to the pen and set them up in a mini-pen I had already set up for them.
All this was a surprise to my existing flock of 3 ladies. I put the new birds in well after dark, so my grown ladies woke up to sudden intruders. I saw 2 of my grown birds really give a literal jump. I didn't know that chickens could jump like that!
That addition changed the flock dynamics, and I think we have a new lead hen because of it. I think Martha White, the former lead hen got intimidated by the larger of the 2 Australorps. And somehow, Orangella was not scared, so she has become the new leader.
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
Right now, we just have 2 dogs and coturnix quail. My dogs these days are small, so I can more easily pick them up. I have a shih tzu and a coton, a breed closely related to Maltese. They are fun dogs, and easy to love. My 6 quail are the more reliable egg layers right now since my hens are having a hard molt this fall/winter.
In the past, when kids were young, we have had and loved lots of other animals: goldfish, betta fish, guinea pigs, parakeets and cats. I would love to have a cat again, but my son complains of allergies, though he has loved our cats in the past. I may end up doing what I did with my husband and just present the animal as a fait accompli.
7. Anything you'd like to add?
I have been so grateful to find BackYard Chickens. It's a wonderful resource to learn more about keeping poultry of all kinds, chat and share pictures and stories about our birds. But even more, it's a (mostly) well behaved and kind group of people, which is rare to find on the web. I am grateful to the moderators who keep the peace, and to my friends across BYC.
@Boppo
For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews
For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews
I see plenty of love in your story of life, thanks for sharing!
I enjoyed reading your interview!
"There's your sign" 
never easy on the heart. Black Australorps are my all time favorite breed, so friendly, hardy, they make nice lap warmers. 
I used to keep quail too, such a fun little bird to keep! Thanks for sharing yourself with us!
we have all been there I am sure .
