Ended 14th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along—National Poultry Day

[casportpony]

Winners announced here!​

This contest is brought to you by our BYC Sponsors
(click to view & support them)

14th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along
National Poultry Day
Ends April 16th, 2023

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National Poultry Day is an annual observance that celebrates the role of poultry in our lives. Observed on March 19th every year, this day serves as a reminder of the importance of the poultry industry.

The day also acknowledges the hard work and dedication of farmers and others involved in the poultry industry who work tirelessly to ensure a steady supply of safe, nutritious, and affordable poultry products.

Whether you're a poultry enthusiast or a farmer, National Poultry Day is a great opportunity to celebrate this important industry and the many benefits it brings to our lives.

Prizes:

• 3-month PFM! to at least three winners

Rules:

• An entry is one picture of your domestic poultry and a short blurb about how/why poultry is important to you.
• One entry per member.
• The picture needs to have been taken by you.
• You cannot use a photo that won an award in another BYC-sponsored contest.
• ALL pictures MUST be uploaded to BYC and not hosted on other image sites, personal websites, etc.
• All BYC rules apply: Terms of Service (Rules)
• Entries will be accepted until April 16th, 2023, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Note: We will use a random number generator to select our winners for this Contest.

If you have not joined the fun in the 14th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along thread, please drop by and say hello here!

14th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along ​

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Poultry is important to me because I started with a rooster I bought from a hatchery was the first male I ever bought purposely and a dog killed him at 3 so out of all the eggs I set only one hatched was a hen and she kept his line alive even today with my f9s my line goes in 4 directions chocolates,Lavenders,easter egegrs and my laced/mottled project chicks like this one. I was determain to keep my roosters legecy alive and thats why poultry is important to me.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

I love my chickens because not only do they provide me with delicious eggs, they double as my emotional support animals, and they keep me grounded. I know they're not judging me if I go out there and just need a hug. I can tell them everything that's bothering me, and they'll jump on my lap and comfort me. During the covid pandemic, I don't know what I would've done without them. They truly are my friends.

Special thanks to Goldilocks, the model in the photo.

 

[Little Miss Millie]

My chickens mean a lot to me. Ever since we got our first four on my birthday, I haven’t been able to detach myself from their lives. Being able to raise them and bond with them is incredibly rewarding, and watching them fully mature and live a good happy life is incredible too. But raising them has also taught me to value life. As much chickens have thrived, lots of others have met unfortunate ends. I’ve learned that I can’t dwell on a single loss and believe that life is hopeless, I instead learn to honor their experience of being alive, and our time together. Their losses will help me learn to care for future generations better as well, and I have to thank them for their advice. They keep me reminded that I am needed in the real world, and help pull me from the online distractions. I can come to them when I am feeling down, as they don’t judge me for my emotions, and just enjoy me being there with them. They are also wonderful inspirations for my art and storytelling!

This photo is of my most precious chicken Periwinkle; he was the foundation of my understanding and acceptance for the cycle of nature, and he was also one of the victims of a painful experience (hawk attack). One day he was there and brought so much joy, but the next day he just disappeared. As distraught as I was, that was when I learned I can’t let this single experience affect my admiration and care for the rest of the flock to come, and I have to accept things as they were. I still miss him a lot, but I have found healthier ways to honor him. Perhaps one day I will see him again

 

[fluffycrow]

Poultry are important to me because when I visit my coop, it's like escaping reality, a way of reconnecting with nature, and the animals that are living so close to it

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

They mean so much to me! I have an anxiety disorder and am impacted by seasonal depression every year. My birds are not only quite calming to watch and simply be around, but they give me a reason to get out of bed every day, a reason to go outside and get some fresh air, a reason to remain active and healthy, a reason to be excited for tomorrow, heck, even simply a reason to smile and laugh every day with their antics. They keep my mind sharp as I read up on genetics, plan out potential crosses for future hatches, and figure out what varieties would be best to bring in to meet certain goals. They are integral as I strive toward less reliance on processed foods and commercial farms in my life. They inspire me to always do better when it comes to their care, and with everything I do in life. Most importantly, they just make me happy!

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

Back in 2021, I started being in the chicken coop a lot more. I got into chicken photography, would dress the chickens up, and made stories about them. Last year, my grandmother got cancer. It was really hard. I went to my chickens for comfort, especially to Odile, my lap chicken. After she passed, I would just sit in a rocking chair for over thirty minutes, with Odile on my lap, and would remember things like making maps with my grandma, or building coops with her. It was then that I realized the importance of chickens in my life. Below is a picture of Odile.
Sorry for such a long blurb.

 

[Candyjablonski]

Owning Poultry for me started with this rooster almost 4 years ago. I had him a dog and young cat and they were all buddies. I don't think he knew he was a rooster at that time. He saved me when I was very lonely. Fast forward and he's the proud roo of 9 hens. Father of many chick's. He means the world to me.

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't know why I've always wanted chickens, but to own them, including owning a crowing rooster, was a lifelong ambition for me -- an ambition I clung to through nearly two decades of living in places where I wasn't allowed to have them. I treasure their eggs, their personalities, their beauty, the prospect of breeding up my flock over the generations, and, yes, the crowing. Raising my own food from egg to table is tremendously satisfying, but just having the chickens is a joy unto itself.

 

[Party_Chicken]

Chickens have brought meaning into my life before I got them I would just sit inside on my phone and eating snacks. But after I got them something changed I felt motivated and for the first time I truly cared for something. I think that chickens saved me.