Do people look at you weird when you say you have pet chickens?

[ECBW]

It seems the word "pet" conjures up certain image and connotation in the general public, such as sitting on the sofa, stroking the fur of your pet. Or taking your pet for a walk or jog.

Some of us do threat our birds like conventional pets. Some of us are chicken farmers. I now tell people I am a chicken hobbyist. My birds are named, they do not come in the house, they walk themselves. We have a reciprocal relationship that we care for them and they feed us with their eggs in return . We mutually amuse each other.

Some people do think keeping chickens unusual, but many remark that they grew up with exposure to chickens. Apparently, backyard chicken was common a few decades ago. A few grew up with pigeons, rats with wings to the cynics, but they had fond memories.

 

[Cetawin]

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Yup and if you put me in there it makes us the fruit loop factory

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

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OMG, I haven't had that one in a while but I used to get that ALL THE TIME!!! My gynecologist even asked me how I would get eggs from hens w/ out a rooster. Um, where did you go to school? Did you really just ask me that?

 

[Nicole01]

Yes, especially my own family(parents, aunts, uncles, ect....). My mom says I've lost my mind and that I'm crazy, not in a nice way either. I have 8 pet chickens and every single one fight for the best spot in my lap. I bring a chair in the coop and sit with them throughout the day. Actually, I'm in the coop right now. I

my chickens.

 

[Jerseycoop]

I get mixed feelings...some think it's great well others think it's strange. I really don't pay attention to any negative feelings on the subject and give the line that at least my pet makes me breakfast...they usually laugh.

 

[Jerseycoop]

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OMG, I haven't had that one in a while but I used to get that ALL THE TIME!!! My gynecologist even asked me how I would get eggs from hens w/ out a rooster. Um, where did you go to school? Did you really just ask me that?

I think my stomache hurts from laughing at this ...toooo funny

 

[WKYChick]

My nurse was drawing my blood and she asked me what on earth have I been doing outside to get so tanned, so I promptly told her I was building my chickens a chicken coop, run and sitting with my chickens in the yard, ummm, my response was not what she was expecting to hear

but it did lead to a very deep conversation about not needing roosters to get eggs and you can have a great coop how you need so much sq ft per bird and we talked about our chickens, yes we had a long time to talk nothing but chickens, I had to have over 10 tubes of blood drawn so we just chattered about chickens and I think I convinced her to get chickens

I have family and friends that don't want to come over anymore, they tell me that my chickens are just nasty creatures that carry diseases

and they don't want to be near them


I really don't let anyone bother me about what they say, just means no eggs for you!

 

[Miyashi]

Boy howdy, do they ever!
I'm the crazy lady at work.
I don't think there is anything wrong with it though...
There are few things that I talk about often.....most people refer to me as the car/chicken/dog lady.
You aren't alone!

 

[fishnet1971]

uh, yea, I am called a 'chicken nut' at work too. Heck, I get avoided if anyone sees me with my camera, they KNOW i have cute chicken pictures to show them. RUN!!!!!!

but, I do agree with an earlier comment, I love my chicken more than the few friends I have. I had a pet chicken growing up that went to school with me for show and tell in the fourth grade. from that point on, that was it, life changed and I was lableled a nut case, chicken fenatic. (I am 41 now) My husbands customers that come to the house used to really look at me kinda sideways like i was a freak. They had to wait for their cars to be finished at the shop and we would naturally strike up a conversation that would ultimately lead to them walking out of the shop to see the chickens. They all started to just adore them!!! they bought my eggs and they were HOOKED!!!!! they come by now just for my eggs, not even needing to have their car looked at. (makes DH kinda mad though!). I even bought my DH a gumball machine for our anniversary and filled it up with peanuts so his customers could feed my girls.

 

[prairiehen74369]

Everyday on the news we hear about the latest E-Coli outbreak those who might think you weird need to be finding out how to raise their own food. 9-11 should have put alot of folks thinking as well. My family knows Mom will have a place for them to come to and that we will eat well.