@Dr Evy
Come say hello to Evy! She's been a member since April 2021 and comes to us from Minnesota.
Come say hello to Evy! She's been a member since April 2021 and comes to us from Minnesota.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. And is there a story behind your member name?
Hi guys, you all know me as Dr Evy, but at home I’m Evy (pronounced Eh-vee if anyone was wondering) or Evelyn.
I’m a student working hard towards my dreams of becoming a veterinarian. I live with my parents and my three siblings in central Minnesota. I have two brothers and one sister and I’m the third child. My family and I are Christians.
I’m a very outdoorsy person. Really our whole family is super outdoorsy, but I win for being the most lol. I love all things where I can be out in nature, but I prefer to do things that give me physical activity too. So hiking, kayaking, and camping (we do canoe camping) are my main go-to’s for when I want to get out. I do occasionally enjoy fishing too.
I’m also really into nature photography. Mostly wildlife. But if I were to show you all my photos I’ve taken, it would mostly be pictures of birds. Bird are my favorite animal, and no matter how hard I try to take pictures of other things I still always get more bird pictures.
I posted some of my pictures on the wildlife photography thread if you want to see some of my photography!
Another thing I’ve pretty recently gotten into is gardening. I’m still not great at it, but I’m learning lol. The gardeners of BYC have helped me with my gardening skills. I just recently had to do “plant surgery” to remove some grubs. If someone on BYC didn’t help me know that was what was going on the grubs probably would’ve killed my plants.
There is kind of a story behind my member name: Like I mentioned earlier when I’m older I plan to be a veterinarian. So since a veterinarian is an animal doctor I thought, “Dr Evy”. I probably should’ve taken into consideration that people would genuinely think I was a real doctor. My bad!
2. Why and when did you start keeping chickens? (or any other poultry you have)
I actually started with ducks. I grew up in northern Indiana where we had a big property with water on it. In 2012 my parents decided to buy a dozen ducklings for my siblings and me to raise. I’m not sure why exactly they decided they wanted ducks, but I’m glad they did. I loved those ducks so much, and I wish we could’ve taken them with us to Minnesota.
(Pictures of me and my ducks ^)
On Christmas of 2020 my parents got me an egg incubator as my present, and in February of 2021 I had plans to hatch some chicken eggs. We weren’t prepared to have chickens of our own, and really my parents didn’t want any yet. They got me the incubator because my school curriculum wanted me to hatch chicken eggs. I didn’t know that I would fall so in love with chickens. Unfortunately the plan had already been set, the chicks that hatched were to go to a friend’s farm.
I started with a dozen eggs, they were supposed to be GLW, SLW, and white Wyandotte eggs. (I say supposed to be because the “white Wyandotte” that hatched didn’t really look like a white Wyandotte).
8 eggs started developing and all 8 eggs hatched. One chick died very soon after hatching and one died when he was a couple weeks old. I raised those chicks until they were about 8 weeks old, then I brought five of them to my friend’s farm.
That’s how I got into chickens. But technically at the moment, I do not have my own chickens. My plan is to get my own this fall if I can get the coop built first.
3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
Like everyone, I enjoy the fresh eggs. But I also enjoy the companionship. It’s so cool how each chicken is unique, not only in the way they look but in their different personalities. I love the way you can bond to a chicken and a chicken to you. They’re such sweet and silly creatures.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
There’s two chicks I will never forget. Pip and Ozzy. Those two were my little buddies, I miss them so much. Pip is a “white Wyandotte” and Ozzy is a Golden laced Wyandotte.
Pip was just a crazy little girl. She had the most rambunctious personality. That’s what stood out to me for her. Her personality actually made me think she was a cockerel at first, but she ended up being a pullet.
Pip and I really bonded. She along with Ozzy both hatched with splayed legs and bad curled toes, so the two of them were quarantined together while I treated them for that. But since those two were alone I spent a lot of time with them. Pip would follow me everywhere, I always had to be careful when I was walking around with her out because she was always right at my heels. And if I would walk away from her too fast she would do a little jump and then run/hop while flapping her wings as fast as she could towards me.
Pip ^
Ozzy is special to me in a different way. He was so sweet and docile. He loved being held and he would always fall asleep in my hand. He loved me and I loved him. When he was only a week or two old he developed what I thought to be a slipped tendon. (Another chick actually developed one too but he sadly passed away). Even through my best efforts, I was unable to fix his leg. I made the decision to not cull him, and give him a chance at life.
(Ozzy during his treatment^)
So I went to Home Depot, and I got the supplies to build him a chicken wheelchair. (The look on the Home Depot worker’s face when I told him what I was doing was priceless).
But I knew I couldn’t keep Ozzy because he was a cockerel and I’m unable to keep them where I live. So after searching for a while, I found somebody who was willing to take him in. She was a nice lady who lived on a hobby farm, and although she had never kept a handicapped chicken she was willing to try. I haven’t heard from her in a while, but I still like to believe Ozzy is doing well. Here’s a picture she sent me of Ozzy and his new best friend.
And here’s pictures of Pip & Ozzy
5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
Honestly since I didn’t have chickens very long, this is the funniest thing I have.
This. Just this picture. The angriest looking chick ever
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
I have two dogs. My 9 year old dog Sweety, and my 10 month old puppy Romeo.
Sweety is a mutt. Maybe Shih tzu x Maltese? My grandfather brought her to me from the Philippines.
Romeo is a bordoodle (border collie x poodle)
Sweety ^
Romeo ^
I also have my two year old pineapple green cheeked conure, Ruby.
I also keep fish. Here’s my betta, Quinten.
And I have three turtles. Scooter, Rocco, and Gabriel. Rocco and Gabriel are painted turtles and Scooter is a red eared slider. They live outside in a large pond my brother and I built this summer.
Rocco ^
Then my brother has a bearded dragon, Ziggy.
And my sister’s cat, Ivy.
7. Anything you'd like to add?
I want to thank everyone on BYC! Not just for reading this, but for helping me through my journey, and teaching me everything I need to know about chickens. Looking back now, I’m glad I didn’t keep the chicks I hatched because I wasn’t ready. But you guys have helped my learn how to properly care for chickens, and now I’m really ready to keep my own.
@Dr Evy
For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602
For more information about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
introducing-vip-member-interviews.905602
Best wishes on becoming a real DVM.
Beautiful pictures. I'll be checking out your photography thread. Good luck with your education 
I know you're going to be a wonderful veterinarian.
