How About This?

[Lunachick]

It was great fun doing "How did you come up with your screen name?" and " Are Chicks just for Chicks". But I was wondering of all the people on this board that have been on a long time, is this 'normal' the abundance of people getting into chickens? I mean I never thought it would happen to me, and here I am. Is this a phase for this time of year or is something goin on? What do you guys think? I'm lovin it!

 

[Orpingtonlover]

Well to me chickens are very unique birds they mesmerize me beyond believe there also very Interesting and funny creatures i dont think i could live without mine i had a rooster die yesterday and i cried over 10 hours! call me lame i guess

 

[poppycat]

I can't speak for others but I've been chicken addicted since I got my first peeps about a year ago. The rest of my family wasn't too far behind. We now have a second batch in the brooder. It's hard to use the restraint that's required by our suburban single acre. It seems like we attract other "chicken" people too. I had no idea there were so many out there.

 

[CarriBrown]

I cried when I lost a girl of mine, and I'd only had her a month! Geesh, if I'd lost one of my favorites I would have needed some meds!

I don't think you're lame, Orpington. You love your animals! Nothing wrong with that.
I don't know what it is about chickens that makes them addicting. I love dogs and horses but I wouldn't dream of having more than I do now!
I think chickens are so great because they are entertaining and they lead such a simple life. I love sitting outside after work and watching Kip and his girls go crazy over the weirdest things (a dead leaf, a blade of grass, some gross looking bug). They all have their own personalities and it's fun to watch the personalities interact!

 

[Lunachick]

Orpingtonlover, I'm sorry to hear about your roo. I saw his picture on another post. Boy, he was a beaut! I almost cried just reading your post.

 

[SpottedCrow]

My adventures in chickening began almost 4 years ago. My son's 3rd grade class hatched chicks as a science project. All the kids that were given permission could take some chicks home for the weekend...I gave them back, but once I found out that roos has such a short lifespan, I had to take Jerry, because I knew he was a boy. And Tom too because she was Jerry's buddy. I knew nothing about chicks, but started looking online for information, and found BYC. Since I've been here, the information has grown from all the people that have come by and stayed with it.
I'll never know everything, but I know where to find help if I need it.
DH didn't talk to me for a week when I told him that we were keeping the chicks.

But it is better to ask for forgiveness, than permission...

The first time you look in those little faces and they peep at you, then fall asleep on your shoulder, you are gone, just completely no turning back, darn the torpedoes full steam ahead, chicken addicts.

 

[V Chic Chick]

There's a rough estimate that 500,000 people in the UK keep chickens, out of a 60,000,000 population. This is mostly due to townies getting eglus and coming over all 'Good Life'-ish. There's a lovely little family-run pet shop in the poshest area of town that sells chick starter, grower and layer, organic and non-organic. I asked him how much of it he manages to shift and he reeled off a list of about 15 people nearby who came in for the stuff.

If you'd asked me 5 years ago if I thought I'd end up with chickens, I'd have rubbished it, but now, well, I can't see my life without chickens.

Edit: the gov. department of agriculture, DEFRA (or as I like to call them, DEATHRA), really has no idea that so many people keep chickens in the city. There was a short article in Practical Poultry about the fact that someone had invited DEFRA officials to her home to see how she kept her 6 orps, and they were amazed that chickens came in a colour other than brown or white, and that anyone kept them as pets. DEFRA have a well deserved reputation for not knowing what's happening on the ground, and ever since they screwed up their handling of Foot and Mouth Disease back in 2001, nobody trusts them any further than they can through them.

 

[wynedot55]

well how did i get into chickens.ive been around cattle horses an chickens since i was born.starting messing with them at 7 quit at 15.then in my late 30s got into them again.an will be in them till i get to old to go to the henhouses.

 

[mudhen]

I adopted three hens from a shelter over three years ago. Only one is left (lost two to predators) and this year decided to get her some companions....
6 (seven week olds) and today added 20 three day olds!!
Its a sickness, really...

...I'm so glad I'm not alone!!

I do have to say, I am just amazed how many new people are joining BYC! It is a testament to how much chickens are appreciated and enjoyed by everyone the world over.

whodathunkit?

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

I'm smack dab in the middle of a pretty suburban populated city and I'm constantly surprised at how many people around me have chickens... just within a mile there are 5 people that I know of that have chickens.

Regarding time: Well, I've been at this for about 2.5 years and expect to have chickens for a while.

BTW Lunachick, I like the idea of this thread... do you want me to change the title to something that tells better what it is about / asking for?