Does anyone regret getting chickens?

[Nifty-Chicken]

Keep in mind, a lot of concerns with chickens will be the same as any other animal. Some people aren't ready for much more than a goldfish, so in that case it doesn't matter if it is a dog, cat, or chicken... they may not be ready.

Our experience: Smell has never been a problem for us on the most hot or the most wet days. We're not super diligent about keeping our coop spotless or changing the litter a ton. We keep it dry inside the coop, add shavings when needed and change it when the ammonia smell is noticeable (which isn't very often). We've seen an increase of flies, but not a ton more than we had before, and that's mostly because we let them free rang on our back porch where we have a lot of cement and so the poop kinda sits there. This year we're going to confine them more to a dirt area to keep the poop off the patio and to help with the flies.

As for travel: Of all the pets we've had, our chickens are the easiest for our neighbors to take care of. With our auto feeder and waterer they could very easily go for a couple days with no problems, but we still as our neighbors to let them out in the morning, check for eggs & check the water / feed. My auto coop door closer takes care of keeping them safe at night.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I don't regret getting my chickens at all. I just hate that I can no longer tend to them. Their dander really bothers my lungs and breathing. I am going to look for a respirator, because it's hard to have such wonderful animals and not be able to be around them.

I don't think you will have any regrets, unless you get overwhelmed with too many. I would say a good number is 6-8 birds.

 

[melody123]

A few weeks ago I seriously strained my back, getting out of bed was a seriously painful ordeal.

I regretted hatching out baby chicks that needed water containers refilled and then placed on the floor in their pens At least the food could be poured by their feet. (Not normally, but I was in pain.)

But my back is working again,

, and I'm happy to have baby chicks again.

I've never regretted getting chickens. I have regretted not getting them sooner, not getting more, not getting different breeds, not having the money to put in a dozen new coops so that I could segregate breeds, etc.

Now I'm branching out into turkeys and ducks and thinking about peacocks and guineas.

I definately am addicted.

 

[SurprisingWoman]

I have a half acre lot and my chickens free range. With all the snow on the ground and with it melting the paths we have made in the snow to the deck and the coop are "squishy."

My girls come to the back door all the time and ask for treats, and they normally get what they ask for. They poo while they eat.

I can't rinse the deck because the yard is already saturated.

My grandkids came over today and we all went out to the coop to check for eggs, walking along the path.

My grandson (age 2) said, "Ca-Ca" the whole time we were walking. Yes, after a full winter of limited yard access there is ca-ca everywhere.

When we got to the coop there was a hen in the nesting box and the grandkids got to pet the chicken and collect fresh, warm eggs.

On the way back to the house the grandson didn't say ca-ca once.

 

[Tala]

I don't regret chickens at all!
In fact I started out with 6 and now I have 10!!! I love them!!
I've always been an animal person though. No amount of chicken care is too much work for me, in my eyes.

My new Lab is more work than my chickens!!!! I sometimes kinda regret getting him (and he's 4 year old already potty trained/already leash trained!!!) because he requires so much exercise!!! Bundle of joy, I mean energy. lol

I wanted to have my coop as far from any neighbors as possible in case of noise but the best place for that was also
a low area of the yard that retains water.

I made that mistake too. I put the coop in a partly shady area (hot summers in Arkansas ya know) away from the houses both mine and my neighbors. Well I just never noticed that part of the yard collecting water so much. The rest of the yard has always drained well and I didn't know there was any problem corner. I just never spent as much TIME out in the back corner of the yard before I put the coop there!!!
It's not a huge thing, and I think I would have used the same corner of the yard regardless. BUT I think I would have put more effort into the drainage aspect had I noticed water collecting there. Oh well.​

 

[steelersfan43]

Here is Bob

If you can look at Bob and not get all warm and fuzzy inside, then maybe you shouldnt get chickens

Good luck and just remember to always have fun!!!

 

[FollowingMyNose]

Quote:
OMG...if I ever move to a farm and have a roo, his name will be Bob! You are right, I NEED chickens.

 

[speckledhen]

Wish I'd developed an interest in them much sooner! I love my chickens and can't really see life without them now.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
So true! The same for me.

 

[Rlilchickadee]

When you get your first real eggs and taste the difference in them, you'll really come to appreciate your chickens. And never want to be without them.
But you need to decide if you can afford the time this site claims from your life!