Exciting news!!! We took the time to chat with Mya B. and her mom about her budding egg business. At 8 years old, this impressive young lady is quickly making a name for herself and her chickens.
1) Hi Mya! First of all, congratulations on getting featured in the October issue of Chickens Magazine! So, how did you get interested in chickens?
Thank you so much! I was so excited to be in a magazine, that was pretty cool! My mum always hatched chicks in her kindergarten class, so when I was little, I got to be around baby chicks. My mum always had chickens in our petting zoo too! I was excited to raise my own chickens and sell their eggs.
2) What prompted you to turn your love of chickens into a business?
My grandpa Jeff bought 25 hens. He asked me if I’d like to sell the eggs, and I was so excited to say “YES”. So I used my tooth fairy money to buy some egg cartons. I called my business “Mya Beckley’s Egg Company” and I say “what’s cracking” when I do a video.
3) What kind of hurdles have you had to overcome, both in raising chickens and being a young entrepreneur? Was there a time where you almost gave up?
I haven’t had too many troubles, but last year there was a bear that came to the ranch and he killed most of the chickens. I had 25 hens, but then there were only 13 left. I decided to give the rest of my hens to my cousin so she could continue selling eggs. I saved up all my egg money, and I decided to get chicks in March 2020. They hatched on my birthday! I bought 18 Plymouth Barred Rocks. I picked them because they were the friendliest chickens. There was this one chick that when I held her, and rubbed her head she fell asleep in my hand. No other chicks did this, just her. That chickens name is ‘Velvet’, she is my favorite chicken. Velvet goes on my head, she is the biggest chicken in the coop too. Maybe because I fed her the most Hentastic treats. The other chickens would get jealous, so I’d share with them.
4) Can you introduce us to your flock?
5) Do you have any favorite tips to share about prepping your clock for the winter?
We put 2 extra layers of shavings in the coop. This helps keep the coop warm. I feed them layer crumble; they get hen scratch, oyster shell, grit, Hentastic treats and lots of veggies. I have a heat lamp in my coop, this helps keep them warm and helps to keep them laying eggs. I put a water heater under my metal waterer. I let my chickens out every morning before school and spend time with them in the night. I get their eggs, give them treats and lock them up for the night. I bring the eggs home and wash, dry and put the eggs in cartons. I deliver my eggs on Thursday’s.
