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

Dora'smom :

I had repetitive dreams about feeding people---my family, my friends, my neighbors and co-workers.
My grandparents had chickens, and I grew up next door to them, so the idea was always in my head. I work with someone whose husband owns a farm store, and she showed me their website. The idea that I could raise chickens in my backyard and feed people was something that was suddenly doable. We took a chicken 101 course, checked out all the city regulations, and bought a brooder and our first four chickens! (Two buff orpingtons, and two barred rocks---they didn't have the RIR's in until about five days later).
Since that time my flock has grown to 18 including two Turkens that my broody hatched out about 6 weeks ago.
I would love to buy some acreage and raise more, including an endangered breed, and meaties, but that just isn't happening right now.
Like everyone else, I am very concerned about our economy, and trying to make the most of what we have here, to try to sustain us, our families and friends, neighbors and co-workers. I give eggs away to family and neighbors, and sell a few of the extras at work for feed money. If someone I know is out of work, or otherwise has financial difficulty, they get free eggs as long as there is an issue and we are able to provide. I consider this to be my own personal ministry.
I also have plans to do more gardening than in the past. My raised beds are doing their job, but I would really like to maximize what we can do here.

bless your heart!!​
 
Ours is not your typical story at all!

We got 2 hens simply to give the wild rooster some girlfriends and hopefully lure him into the coop we made for them at night so that he will be safe and have some place to go during the winter months instead of sleeping in the trees during the cold months and rainy days! So far it is not working as he still sleeps in the trees but he is enjoying his girls during the day.

The eggs we give to the neighbor and she and her husband say they enjoy them.

Anyone have any ideas how to get the rooster to go into the coop?

Lisa
 
Well for me one morning i just woke up and found myself wanting some eggs but when i got to the fridge we were out. So i thought to myself what if i had chickens and wouldnt have to worry about going to buy eggs
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. So next thing i know im on my way to the post office to pick up some chicks
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. Also i had never owned chickens before but i do have alot of animals so it wasnt hard for me to adapt on how to take care of them.
 
We had RIRs and Barred Rocks 30 yrs ago. My wife's Grandparents had a good sized egg business and my Grandparents had a small family flock. Now that we have Grandchildren I thought it would be a good idea to get some chickens for the kids (Me) LOL. It has been well worth it. They feed, help clean the coop, and collect the eggs. Plus they split the egg money. Me, I just buy the feed. As far as getting your wild roo into the coop, fat chance. Our RIR roo who was brooded in the coop took to roosting in the branches over the coop. Snow, rain, sleet, he didn't care and lived for 8 yrs. Tough as nails and only aggressive towards me. Never fought with the Barred roo, it knew Red was top dog. I go in town to my Mother-in-laws to visit and somebody has 3 RIR roos strolling around the neigborhood, I noticed they weren't as huge as my ol' boy red but they sure are pretty. So now I will be getting HB RIRs and Delewares in the spring. My wife says I'm goofy as a bedbug. What's 76 chickens, give or take.
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I wanted to have good eggs that came from chickens that free ranged and got all natural feeds. I had also learned that farm fresh eggs were healthier for you.
 
I started off getting them for eggs & maybe meat (wasn't sure if we could do the deed, but we did). I wanted healthier food, and manure for my organic garden. I've gotten all that from them but now I wouldn't get rid of them because they're so much fun! You can't be sad while watching chickens do their thing. I'm also a crazy cat lady and I'd say though I love my cats more than the chickens, I get a lot more entertainment from the chickens!
 
I'm not really sure why. Don't know anybody that ever had chickens. Browsing Craigslist I found some chicks that only cost $5.00 each! So I went and got some. Not long after that I realized that they actually cost a lot more. I enjoyed raising them and building the coops. Note that coops is pleural. I'll be getting more in the spring. Raising chickens can be addictive!
 
Had them before but didn't ever got a house built for them and then they were gone. We live in the country and free range is just another name for coyote food. This time grand daughter got paw paw to build a house and run for them so I am so excited to have them again.
 
I got them at the urging of my hubby, he loves animals so much. After he ran it by me, I loved the idea of having fresh eggs. I spend a lot on cage free and organic eggs. We have a young son that we want to teach the way of having birds. My father in law has homing pigeons and my son loves going into the coops and helping "pa pa" take care of the birds.
 
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That's another reason I got chickens, when the grandkids come over the first thing they do is go see the chickens and get the eggs and love to feed them.
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