How did chickens come into your life?

[Empera]

Everyone has a different story, and I'd thought it would be interesting to find out.

I've always loved animals, but thought chickens were mean and not good as pets growing up (at 17, I'm still growing up, haha). Just over 6 months ago, one poor little seabright found it's way over to a friend's backyard. The owner neglects his chickens, and I even asked if I could take the roo, he didn't care because he was so tiny.

And there started my obsession, I just had to keep adding "buddies" to my original roo. Hey, he seemed lonely, OK?

So, let's hear your story.

 

[Master S.M.C]

Well. when I wanted a pet and couldn't have a dog. I always like birds so when we moved to the rural areas i thought chickens.

 

[Empera]

Master S.M.C :

Well. when I wanted a pet and couldn't have a dog. I always like birds so when we moved to the rural areas i thought chickens.

Was there a reason you couldn't have a slobbering, barking, tail-wagging, loyal man's best friend?

 

[farmerlor]

I grew up with chickens and hated them. The stench, the scary roo, the butchering, taking food and water to them in the howling cold Iowa winter.....couldn't WAIT to be away from those stupid, ugly birds. The very minute we signed on this farm (35 years AFTER I'd had chickens as a child) we had an order in with MacMurray. And I've been nutso crackers about chickens ever since.

 

[Empera]

Quote:
Haha, that just about sums it up for everyone of us!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

We're origionally from the 'burbs of NY and mom and dad thought it would be funny to tell all of our friends that we were 'farmers' when we moved a few hours away into a more rural area. Friends thought we were nuts, over two dozen baby peeps running around, etc...Well, now we treat the chooks like they're family and all is well. Friends still think we have a screw loose, though. Espcially when we name our animals after The Beatles songs and hippies.

 

[Katy]

This is a recent thread that has a lot of people's answers to this question.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=133141

 

[rooster-red]

My kids were given 2 "easter chicks" from the church, along with every kid who rode their church bus.

No one ever asked any of the parents permission.

Of course the 2 chicks ended up being cockerels.

Later we decieded the time was right to add a couple of hens.

We found 3 more hens here from a BYC member.

Then we hatched some eggs.

Then we hatched 3 more sets of eggs.

42 chickens now.

 

[Empera]

Oh, exactly. I'm so used to people looking at me funny when I tell them I own chickens and adore them.

Especially when your in high school. Other kids love their cars, their dogs, their sports. I love my chickens!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Quote:
My friends think I'm insane. Especially when I go up to my hens and start talking to them, and then hug them. I'm in such a rural area and I still stick out like a sore thumb, which would explain why I hardly mention it in school. Sad when people just don't know where they live.