@Sylvester017
Come say hello to @Sylvester017 who comes to us from Southern California and has been a member since November 2012.
Come say hello to @Sylvester017 who comes to us from Southern California and has been a member since November 2012.
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself. And is there a story behind your member name?
"Sylvester" for Sylvia is the name I received in elementary school. Kids give you nicknames that stick forever. Good thing I loved the Looney Tunes characters! I mean, my poor sister was Spaghetti Betty!
I'm retired from lifelong careers begining as an active student council officer in high school, a bookkeeper (half a century ago bookkeepers used ledgers -- NOT computers), public relations and legal research in a couple major utility companies, police matron/stenographer (decades ago employees doubled up on duties without compensation before Labor Relations enforcement got strict), had our own business, public school teacher's asst, immigration law office manager, and did an assortment of charity work.
Sylvester with her Best Rooster -- I'm his Best Hen!
2. Why and when did you start keeping poultry?
Born in a city and then moved to a big farm when I was a toddler.
c. 1946
Folks began raising poultry/livestock and groves of citrus and fruit-bearing trees for profit. Growing up around livestock/agriculture as a kid one fondly remembers the good old days of wide open spaces! Moved away from the farm to a city as a teen but memories as a farmer's kid never leaves your blood.
When DH and I retired and remodeled our urban home we discovered we were zoned for 5 hens/no roos so I asked DH what pet he wanted -- a dog, a cat, or a couple pet chickens (Silkies) because our cottage can't handle a lot of pets. He chose chickens and later we experimented with other chicken breeds.
3. Which aspects of poultry keeping do you enjoy the most?
Watching chicken antics plus their usefulness in the backyard is enjoyable but watching DH transform into a caring backyard farmer is even better! DH is sifting poop out of the chicken sandbox used for dustbathing.
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
Could I possibly list all the cute and funny things 26 chickens in 13 years have done?! The first time a bird hops into your lap because she likes you, the first time one special bird toodles after you while you dig out garden bed weeds (or earth worms!), the first time a bird tugs at your pant leg and WANTS to be picked up, the first time you retrieve the first egg from a nest box, etc.
5. What was the funniest poultry related thing that has happened to you in your years as an owner?
Nothing funny has happened that's any different from other poultry owners' experiences. Except we had one Silkie pullet that loved to stand in front of our floor fan and when she wanted us to turn it on she would tap on the controls and then blissfully stand in front of the breeze.
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
Currently we have just one Dominique hen and 6 Silkies. But in the past we've had dogs, cats, American parakeets, English budgies, blue-fronted Amazon, a rescue rose parrot, rescue cockatiels, and a tortoise that wandered into our yard.
7. Anything you'd like to add?
DH & I THANK the founders and working members on BYC for the invaluable information and entertainment provided on this site! I met one of my best friends on BYC and we've kept in touch as friends outside of BYC even though they no longer can keep chickens!
@Sylvester017
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
