California - Northern

[Luvinmyhurd]

I definitely don't think of mine as pets, in the same way that my cats are beloved members of my household -- but chickens are interesting & entertaining, they help maintain the landscape in their own funny ways (composting weeds from the garden & eating all the ticks, hooray for that!), they provide far better eggs than i can get at a store, and eventually i'll get to the culling and eating stage.  what's not to like?  

but i still don't LOVE them like the cats -- the chickens live in their own world, and in a way i like their independence in that way, and their strange lack of emotion.  

if i had to distinguish them as livestock or pets, i'd unquestionably call them livestock.  

I love my flock! In a love a chicken kinda way.

I do have two chickens that are more like pets then the others! One is my Serama (Sunshine). The other is our first chicken. She's and Easter Egger from Lees Feed (Chicken Little). Those two go in the pet category for sure. Sweet girls! They are always near you if your outside. And on the porch waiting for you to come out.

Most the others could be dinner if needed or if they became aggressive. Livestock COULD be used for them, but I think pets is more fitting for my flock.

At this point in time we don't eat ours. Organic chicken from Costco is cheep enough. We rehome ones we don't want (I have to let go of some). We have culled a few that were extremely aggressive.

 

[capayvalleychick]

This was what made me lol - in context with tommysgirl's comment!

Both Ozzie and the General are totally fine with the 10 week old cockerels. Is that because they have known them since they were tiny?

Probably. That could change if they are separated for a time. Or maybe they are just mellow males.

What is a frilkie?

Have you all ever seen a frizzled bantam cochin? I saw one at the show. It was almost a perfect round circle of feathers. Like a feathered bowling ball. I didn't get a picture but I sure stopped and stared at it for a while.

 

[ronott1]

I definitely don't think of mine as pets, in the same way that my cats are beloved members of my household -- but chickens are interesting & entertaining, they help maintain the landscape in their own funny ways (composting weeds from the garden & eating all the ticks, hooray for that!), they provide far better eggs than i can get at a store, and eventually i'll get to the culling and eating stage. what's not to like?

but i still don't LOVE them like the cats -- the chickens live in their own world, and in a way i like their independence in that way, and their strange lack of emotion.

if i had to distinguish them as livestock or pets, i'd unquestionably call them livestock.

I agree completely , except for Silkies. Silkies are pets that hatch eggs.

 

[capayvalleychick]

I am asked if my chickens are pets or livestock which has been difficult to answer because if livestock, why do I keep chickens when I can buy eggs or meat cheaper in the store? Or, if they are pets, why do I ruthlessly cull and eat them? I also don’t personally embrace the “I raise my own food for health reasons” idea, so that doesn't fly. At least not for me.

I have come to see that my flock is my pet. Not any individual bird. Now I enjoy all the individual personalities, even the trouble makers. But when part of the flock is endangering the whole, it has to go. So I’m curious, why do you keep chickens?

I am in the "raise my own food for health reasons" camp.

Plus, I decided to devote my energy to heritage breed conservation.

As far as pets vs livestock, I have totally evolved in my views. For the first part of my life, I tried very hard to be a vegetarian. Problem was that I liked eating meat, but felt horribly guilty about it. I've resolved that by raising my own meat. My animals have a good life where they are happy. I try to make sure that they are happy right up to the point that they are harvested for food.

No one who knew me in my vegetarian days can believe that I can eat my own animals. I have to think of each animal in a category. Dogs, cats and horses are in the pet category. The rest are livestock, but livestock is also divided into two categories : Valued Breeding Stock or Feeders/Culls.
I can eat feeders or culls without guilt. I can't eat valued breeders. They are either sold before death or buried in a grave when they die. I love some of my breeders like a pet but I recognize that they are livestock. That doesn't stop me from caring about them. And I don't get as attached to some species as others. I rarely feel as fond of a chicken as I do a cow or pig. Sometimes, a chicken will be particularly friendly to me and that makes me fond of them. That has saved a couple from the "should be a cull" category to "lets see if you can be a decent producer" category... which sometimes results in "let's find a pet home for you".

 

[tommysgirl]

The more Room the boys have the better they get along. I have mega millions roosters and have only had like 3 fights. It can be done!

My big boys are housed right next to one another and fence fight, not as much as they used to but they do still make a half hearted stab at it a few times a day. I have been afraid to let them range together and there is oodles of space (acres) for them to do that. Though both seem to stay mostly right behind the house. I am tempted to let them out together and see what happens.

This was what made me lol - in context with tommysgirl's comment!

Probably. That could change if they are separated for a time. Or maybe they are just mellow males.

Have you all ever seen a frizzled bantam cochin? I saw one at the show. It was almost a perfect round circle of feathers. Like a feathered bowling ball. I didn't get a picture but I sure stopped and stared at it for a whil

I think they are relatively mellow...as the young cockerels grow up the big boys may become less tolerant... right now the littles squeeze out from under the gate and range all day. When they get too big for that they will maybe get more negative attention from Ozzie b/c they will be in the same space.

I have a line on hatching eggs from a breeder who has these... I

the splash bantam cochin frizzle on the left.

speaking of frizzles...I was confused by something Duane Urch said in our short conversation yesterday. Is there a breed called a "clean legged white" He offers those in a frizzle and when I asked if they were a pure breed he assured me they were. They are listed just as "White Frizzle" in the LF Any Other Class section.

 

[chrissyr]

so everyone has assimilated great. Note: this is NOT the Bresse babies mom next to it. All of my blue coppers could care less about them. Took out the splashs and Lav AM who seemed to pick on them for a while. Just thought this was cute. Everyone is relaxing!

 

[christinab]

Allow me to ramble;
I am asked if my chickens are pets or livestock which has been difficult to answer because if livestock, why do I keep chickens when I can buy eggs or meat cheaper in the store? Or, if they are pets, why do I ruthlessly cull and eat them? I also don’t personally embrace the “I raise my own food for health reasons” idea, so that doesn't fly. At least not for me.

I have come to see that my flock is my pet. Not any individual bird. Now I enjoy all the individual personalities, even the trouble makers. But when part of the flock is endangering the whole, it has to go. So I’m curious, why do you keep chickens?

We originally got chickens because we wanted eggs, but they are also incredibly entertaining and good for the garden! I feel more like they are livestock, because we killed our mean rooster without hesitation and when the current roo gets cheeky (which is rare) I always ask him how he would like to be supper. However, when one of our first hens stopped laying last year she was in the middle of her six month "retirement" (before going in the crockpot) when a hawk got her... Guess that's pretty ambiguous. The "flock as a whole pet" idea sounds good.

I think the kids are a bit more attached.

x2 on the silkies are more like pets.

Cheers,

Christina

 

[Happy Chooks]

We got chickens to be more self sufficient in our food. I happened to get hooked, and they are now my hobby. I look at them as livestock mostly, though there are some that have made it into my heart and will be here for life - whether productive or not. I guess in my mind, a pet is something that lives indoors with you - not happening with my chickens.

Now, I can say this cuz Deb isn't here.

I still don't believe a silkie is actually a chicken.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

anyone have barnevelders? are they good layers? mine are horrible! i dont know why...

 

[Happy Chooks]

anyone have barnevelders? are they good layers? mine are horrible! i dont know why...

Yes. Not great layers, but it's something I hope to improve in my flock.