Do you consider your Chickens Pets or Livestock

[MilesFluffybutt]

I use mine for "chicken therapy" too.

Awesome! *high five*
They make nice lawn ornaments and garden pest control.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Awesome! *high five*
They might nice lawn ornaments and garden pest control.

My 12 year old daughter and I spend about an hour if the late afternoons, just hanging out, we put chairs in the run, several birds come and sit on our laps, then we pet them and talk about whatever. It is great!

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

@jmns Since I've started working remotely, I've been able to spend more time with my boys. I visit with them on my lunch break. I'll whine to them about a rude customer or a cranky coworker and they'll listen attentively, if I'm waving a treat. LMAO! Because I am home, they get more supervised free range time in the evenings. I'll logout for the day, grab a beer, a chair, and let the boys out to play until bedtime.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

@jmns Since I've started working remotely, I've been able to spend more time with my boys. I visit with them on my lunch break. I'll whine to them about a rude customer or a cranky coworker and they'll listen attentively, if I'm waving a treat. LMAO! Because I am home, they get more supervised free range time in the evenings. I'll logout for the day, grab a beer, a chair, and let the boys out to play until bedtime.

Same, one of my friends and I have been known to drink a glass of wine during these "therapy sessions" Working from home definitely has it's rewards!

 

[MROO]

$10 each!? What the heck are you feeding them!? Gold?

Did you figure the cost of that coop and run - and maintenance on both - into YOUR equation? Yup - $10 apiece ... and worth every penny of it to me!
Mine are pets with a twist. We have Nankin Bantams - a critically endangered breed. With so few of them left, globally, eating the cockerels and surplus roosters would feel like eating bald eagles or California condors to me! My extra males live out their lives in the Bachelor Pad ... and the eye candy alone is worth the extra cost and effort!

 

[LizzzyJo]

Did you figure the cost of that coop and run - and maintenance on both - into YOUR equation? Yup - $10 apiece ... and worth every penny of it to me!
Mine are pets with a twist. We have Nankin Bantams - a critically endangered breed. With so few of them left, globally, eating the cockerels and surplus roosters would feel like eating bald eagles or California condors to me! My extra males live out their lives in the Bachelor Pad ... and the eye candy alone is worth the extra cost and effort!

Sounds like you’ve got a pretty nice setup!

My little operation is maintained with a hand built coop and run that gets a coat of paint about every 5 years. I brought eggs instead of wine to dinner parties at the hosts’ requests for about two years before this lack of the $15/bottle wine paid for the coop (about one work party a month for two years = saving $360 which is about what the coop cost). We have 6 chickens and $9 for 50lb bag of food every other month or so. Garden scraps and kitchen scraps plus free ranging. So I am at the break even end of the scale at this point if not better most months. Even if they cost $9/month for food as they can in the winter then it is about 30cents/ day. So split that between however many eggs I get from 6 chickens that day. I reuse all of my equipment and rarely have to do some vet work, but this is still a rarity and doesn’t eat into much cost.

 

[El Paso Linda]

My silkies are pets first. My quail too. I do have too many roos though, so will take them to a place that sells chickens. I will keep my first roo though, even though he is too mean to breed. I keep him in a separate run.

 

[MROO]

Sounds like you’ve got a pretty nice setup!

My little operation is maintained with a hand built coop and run that gets a coat of paint about every 5 years. I brought eggs instead of wine to dinner parties at the hosts’ requests for about two years before this lack of the $15/bottle wine paid for the coop (about one work party a month for two years = saving $360 which is about what the coop cost). We have 6 chickens and $9 for 50lb bag of food every other month or so. Garden scraps and kitchen scraps plus free ranging. So I am at the break even end of the scale at this point if not better most months. Even if they cost $9/month for food as they can in the winter then it is about 30cents/ day. So split that between however many eggs I get from 6 chickens that day. I reuse all of my equipment and rarely have to do some vet work, but this is still a rarity and doesn’t eat into much cost.

My coop is a converted playhouse. I was lucky enough to inherit it when my kids outgrew it!

 

[Urbanhens]

Mine are always pets. I started with Thelma and Louise, then started with the First Ladies Martha (like Mrs. Washington), Mary (Lincoln), Dolley (Madison), Elizabeth (Monroe), Eleanor (Roosevelt) and her companion Lorena, then there was Betsy (as in Ross).

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Livestock that I gain enjoyment from. Ultimately they are expendable when it is to my benefit.