Official BYC Poll: Why Do You Have Chickens - Select All That Apply

[HeadChick2014]

Now we have 11 new Little & Not so little chicks !!!! 4 Brown Leghorns , 1 Brahma ,
2 Barred Rocks , 2 Cuckoo Murans , & 2 Americanas .
The Brown Leghorns are growing fast .... Will probably be ready to go into the Chicken
Tracker in about 2 - 3 weeks , depending on how our weather goes ...
Here in the Pacific Northwest . Stay tuned , Hen Hugs .

 

[Nisquallynan]

They never fail to make me smile and usually cause me to laugh outright. I also got them because i take care of my elderly parents and my mom was raised on a farm and had chickens. She is confused and it gives us something to talk about.
So, better than Prozac or meds for memory loss! Not covered by insurance, though.

 

[HeadChick2014]

I totally agree !!! Would not be with out Chickens , as they make me laugh & smile !!!!
Hen Hugs , HeadChick2014

 

[MrsBachbach]

Well, the main reason is I don't have enough room for goats or cattle and, you can't eat gold.

 

[Soularddave]

Another reason for a few chickens, is that they're compatible with my other pets, 3 cats and a pit bull. All are curious, and the pit bull is highly protective of their space. She's already chased off a raccoon (the chicken survived).

 

[LindaMurphy]

OK I know a real good reason to have chickens now, I just saw my chickens tear up a big scorpion. It is not the first time I have seen this either. My daughters live at the base of some hills and they find scorpions at their house. I have been living out in the desert and have only seen a couple. Now I know why- - -They are being eaten by the chickens and ducks. So now when people ask me why I have so many chickens I just tell them they are great pest control. They sure do love the scorpions.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

OK I know a real good reason to have chickens now, I just saw my chickens tear up a big scorpion.

What's even more cool is that they convert scorpions, black-widow spiders, etc. into eggs! That's the best recycling program EVER!!!

 

[LindaMurphy]

What's even more cool is that they convert scorpions, black-widow spiders, etc. into eggs! That's the best recycling program EVER!!!

Yes that is very cool. Love me chickens & ducks!!

 

[PBlanck]

Pest control was the original reason we got chickens. Our family property at the lake had become overrun with millipedes. There were some summer nights where you could walk outside and they were so thick you could not see the sidewalk, just a sea of black millipedes. We tried everything. I would spray them, the next morning I would sweep up hundreds of thousands of their dead carcasses but the next night they would be just as thick. Around 30 or so were finding their way inside our cabin each night. Over the winter I did some research and sold my brothers on the idea of trying chickens. They gave me the approval as long as I did all of the work. I simply ran chicken wire along the support posts under our deck, added a gate and boom, instead chicken run. Built a lilttle house and brought the chickens.

They were a huge hit. Whether they solved the problem or not, everybody loved them. They were a big hit for all of our guests. Sure they wanted to swim, boat and fish, but they always wanted to check out the chickens. Feed them melon rines, leftovers, etc. Not to mention collecting the eggs as well as just watching them walk about the yard. The chickens were a hit.

The thing is nobody ever actually saw the chickens eat the millipedes since the millipedes were night creatures, but within a year the problem was gone. I don't know if the chickens ate all of the millipedes or just ate their food source or if it was just a big coincidence, but they are gone.

But each year my chickens would never survive the winter. I always found somebody willing to house them, but when winter was over invariably the chickens were all dead, normally due to foxes and such. I finally convinced my wife to let me bring them back to our house between Labor Day and Memorial Day. I love it. I will never be without chickens again (I hope).

 

[petspoiler]

I do it for eggs, bug control and manure. But most of all, I love my biddies because they are peaceful, gentle souls, and watching them free-range in the backyard is like taking a tranquilizer.