I'm Writing a Documentary about Chickens, and I need your help!

[andythescot]

Hello all!

For my media writing class I'm writing a documentary about raising chickens and for the project I need to interview some people. But I don't know anyone to interview, so I thought you all could help me.

I'm going to list some questions below and if you could answer some or all of them that would be great! And if you do answer some or all of the questions, if you could include your name and last initial as well as what you do for a living that would be great, but you don't have to if you're not comfortable.

How long have chickens been part of your life?

What is the best place to raise chickens?

What is the best way to house chickens?

What do your neighbors, if you have neighbors, think about your chickens?

What are some common misconceptions about chickens?

What makes raising chickens worth it?

What is challenging about raising chickens?

What breeds are the best to raise in backyard settings? Rural settings?

What predators do you think are the most dangerous to chickens?

Have you lost any birds to predators? What predators? How did it happen?

Do you name your birds? Why or why not?

Have you had any trouble with disease affecting your birds? What disease?

Would you or do you eat the birds you raise? Why or why not?

How do chickens compare to the other animals in your life? (ie. dogs, cats, other poultry, livestock)

If you have children, do your children and chickens mix well?

What breeds of chicken do you/have you raise/d? Which breeds are your favorite? Why?

How capable of flight are your chickens?

What are some complaints you've received about raising chickens?

Why do you think some people don't like the idea of raising chickens?

Why do you think its illegal to raise chickens in some parts of the country?



Thank you all very much!!!!

 

[donrae]

Hello all!

For my media writing class I'm writing a documentary about raising chickens and for the project I need to interview some people. But I don't know anyone to interview, so I thought you all could help me.

I'm going to list some questions below and if you could answer some or all of them that would be great! And if you do answer some or all of the questions, if you could include your name and last initial as well as what you do for a living that would be great, but you don't have to if you're not comfortable.

How long have chickens been part of your life? On and off all my life. Grandma and Mom kept chickens, I've had a flock 20+ years.

What is the best place to raise chickens? Outside lol! Seriously, I never brood chicks in the house--too messy.

What is the best way to house chickens? Highly variable. Most folks need a coop that's predator proof and provides good protection from bad weather. What this is made of varies a lot.

What do your neighbors, if you have neighbors, think about your chickens? The ones I've talked to have enjoyed them. I'm in an area where chickens and roosters are legal.

What are some common misconceptions about chickens? They're dirty, they smell bad, you need a rooster to get eggs, a hen should lay an egg every day, day in and day out for years at a time without a break, hens only lay for 2 years, chickens can't tolerate the cold.

What makes raising chickens worth it? Watching a momma hen raise thee babies she's hatched. The relaxation of just watching the flock--chicken tv. Oh, and the eggs and meat are good, too.

What is challenging about raising chickens? For me, keeping the numbers manageable. I'd have hundreds if I had the space. Butchering isn't much fun, either.

What breeds are the best to raise in backyard settings? Rural settings? For most backyard folks, any of the dual purpose birds are best, ie Rocks, Australorps, Wyandottes, Reds, Orpingtons, breeds like that. More rural, if you're meaning free ranging more, game birds are good but they're not as great of a layer.

What predators do you think are the most dangerous to chickens? Dogs and raccoons.

Have you lost any birds to predators? What predators? How did it happen? Dogs, and a fox.

Do you name your birds? Why or why not? Eehh--not consistently. I do think of some birds by a specific name, but overall I don't name my birds, and I don't make pets of them. They're livestock here, not pets. The name I think of them by are usually color related, or status related, not an actual name. I have a pullet I call Blue, and a rooster I call Omega, things like that.

Have you had any trouble with disease affecting your birds? What disease? No. I have had birds just drop dead over the years, and sometimes have a bird that acts off, but I don't diagnose or treat with anything except culling. I firmly believe birds prone to illness should be culled from the flock and gene pool. or you'll wind up with a flock that requires coddling to stay alive. Around here you stay healthy or you just die. I also maintain a closed flock, I only bring in day old chicks or hatch my own. I don't bring in older birds at all, thus minimal exposure to diseases.

Would you or do you eat the birds you raise? Why or why not? Yep, extra cockerels go in the freezer. I'm also overdue to cull my older laying hens, they go to the stewpot or as dogfood.

How do chickens compare to the other animals in your life? (ie. dogs, cats, other poultry, livestock) dogs here are working pets, cats are barn cats, horses are working pets, pigs/goats are meat animals, chickens are livestock.

If you have children, do your children and chickens mix well? young children and roosters do NOT mix well. We had a roo attack our youngest when he was 2. Honey grabbed the shotgun and there wasn't enough of the rooster left to eat. Other than that, my kids were never that interested in the birds. They did have to be taught not to chase the birds when my flock was free ranged, basic manners for how you treat animals.

What breeds of chicken do you/have you raise/d? Which breeds are your favorite? Why? Easter eggers--probably my favorite. I love the colored eggs, variety of colors the birds themselves come in, and the puffy cheeks! I've also had brown Leghorns, buff Orpingtons, hatchery Red hens, red and black sex links, barred rocks, gold and silver laced wyandottes, Welsummers, speckled Sussex, bantam cochins, and a ton of mixed breed birds. Mixed breeds are my second favorite, mostly as I love having birds no one else has!

How capable of flight are your chickens? I had a trio roost about 20 feet in a tree for a few years. A black sex link rooster, a brown leghorn hen and a leghorn/ee cross. Mostly, though, my birds aren't too interested in flying.

What are some complaints you've received about raising chickens? None.

Why do you think some people don't like the idea of raising chickens? Misconceptions of noise, odor and rodent issues. These can all happen, but should not with proper flock management.

Why do you think its illegal to raise chickens in some parts of the country? basically, same as above.



Thank you all very much!!!!

Rachel BB, RN

 

[andythescot]

Thank you so much!!! This was really helpful!!