Big question, why did all of you new chicken owners get chickens?

[huckleberryfarm]

Great post! We bought 110 acres last December. For the land. The realtor asked us if we wanted the animals. Neither of us noticed any animals but we said, Why not? Ended up with 7 goats, 2 donkeys and a mule. Got rid of the mule after he tore my jenny's lip off. Anyway.... my two little ones were scared of the big animals and my husband and I have no farming experience, so we weren't much help with that.

I read a book that said chickens are a good place to start. Hard to kill! I bought a cute little book about chickens. My 5-yr old daughter saw a silkie. And that was that. We got our first Silkie in February of this year. Now we have over 150 chickens. Lots of different breeds. Just hatched 2 adorable Marans in my incubator today. Needless to say, I've fallen in love with my chicks. I was scared to death of the first day-old chick we bought. We were all just laughing about that today. I've come a long way in 9 months, thanks especially to BYC! I'm having breeding pens built and plan to start breeding silkies and Marans.

My husband always asks me to narrow down my "master plan" for the chickens. What's the point? It keeps changing. I just tell him there is no plan. It's love!

 

[Mahonri]

1. I wanted my kids to learn some backyard work skills.

2. I love chickens.

3. When the crap hits the fan (and it will within the next few years) and there is no money, even if you had some in the bank, you could barter with eggs and chickens.... as long as you have the ammo to protect them.

 

[trunkman]

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Your flock looks alot like mine!!!

 

[7L Farm]

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I'm pretty much like you .Wanna , be self sufficient prices for food have sky rocketed. Gas is out of sight. I have 100 acres so why not take advantage of what I have. I have eggs, veggies, hay, pecans,& life is good.I'm fortunate. But its alot of work but it's rewarding to collect your eggs pick your veggies & eat venision from your land.I'm just starting on my adventure.

 

[racepondUSA]

i was raised around them i cant remember a time m family hasnt had chickens ducks guineas turkey or peafowl maybe not all at once but we have always had them and wen i came back home and started raisning chickens peafowl ducks turkey and guineas i started with an old pair than my uncle gave me then breed bought and traded my way to were i am now 26 bantams 17 ducks 4 peafowl a turkey 50 differant types of chickens polish, rirs, EEs, americanas, aracanas, australorps, booted, brahma, cubalaya, dominique, sussex, wyandotte, games, and mix breed yard chickens

 

[trunkman]

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Another AMEN!!

 

[trunkman]

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I'm pretty much like you .Wanna , be self sufficient prices for food have sky rocketed. Gas is out of sight. I have 100 acres so why not take advantage of what I have. I have eggs, veggies, hay, pecans,& life is good.I'm fortunate. But its alot of work but it's rewarding to collect your eggs pick your veggies & eat venision from your land.I'm just starting on my adventure.

WOW!

 

[HyLinda]

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And besides, they were so cute and peeping in TSC, now I'm hooked! I have 3 roosters and 5 hens and get 5 eggs a day. One rooster is with the girls, one is in the time out bachelor pen, on his way to freezer camp, and one is in a crate because he can't walk, giving him a few more days to decide if he wants to live or not.

Going to build a proper chicken coop this winter and get at least 15 laying hens in spring.

 

[pontoosuc]

It's just fun to have chickens!

 

[emmak]

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Bottom line is that I agree with all of your statements. Yes, I love chickens, and they are fun to observe, but I bought them to learn how to raise chickens in a time when corporate foods are no longer available. Anything I can do to be self sufficient. If it's not necessary, yeah! If it is - - my children have a clue.