I mean, if a person grew up with there parents raising chickens, is that person more likely to lean towards raising them when they grow up? I guess what I am asking is, how did you get into riasing chickens? Did your parents have them? A friend? I personally knew NO ONE who had chickens when I first brought up the subject. I began talking about it around my family abobut how much I wanted some, and for my christmas present that year, (I was 12) my aunt bought me an INCUBATOR! And I have had chickens ever since my first hatching. I live in a rural neighborhood, and my neighbors all have dogs, cats, etc. And I think it's nice to be different. Chickens are great conversation starters among friends, dont ya think?
Funny, but I have met several people who grew up with chickens and they hate them. None of them understands why I like them so much. I grew up in Brooklyn NY, and no one in our family had chickens, or eevn thought about them any further than how to cook them for dinner. I tried to bring a couple home, but my dad did not want them in the apartment . I had to wait to get my own place, and at 44 finally got my first hens. Go figure my family thinks I'm an odd duck. To top it off my 15 yr old DD, can't stand them (except for the little chicks). So I don't think it is a genetic thing.
I come from a long line of farmers who always had chickens but I don't think they loved them like I do. They were just livestock. I have to admit that when I was a kid I HATED the chickens. The smell, the mean rooster, the work....hated it! I can tell you that none of my bio kids like chickens but it may just be the same thing I went through as a kid. Maybe they'll get old like me and suddenly decide they need chickens again!
I have heard people say "they had chicks when they were little" and then they either wanted them again as adults (prolly to remind them of their childhood?) or they wanted their kids to have the ame "chick experience" they did and got them for their kids.
Every ancestor of mine on my father's line (including my father) was a farmer all the way back to 1680 Maryland Colony. (we haven't been able to get across the pond on my paternal line) Of my parents 7 children, 2 of us have chickens. My little sister wants them but her backyard is really tiny. I can't see any of the others ever having chickens although most have wonderful gardens. I can see at least two of my 7 kids with chickens in their future.
But we were raised in the city and everyone thinks I am nuts for raising chickens. I have always wanted to be a farmer. I am living out my dream right now, and I don't care who thinks I'm nuts!
Well, for me I guess it was instilled at birth? My mom has had chickens all her life, and as far as I know so has her mom, and probably my great grandmother, but I'm not sure. My dad's family had livestock growing up including chickens and he hates almost all animals, he only sees them as work. But.. I plan to have poultry all my life.
Growing up, we always had chickens. My grandparents on both sides had chickens at some point in their lives. It's taken me more than two years away from the country life to realize how much I miss it. What do I do with scraps of food? I always had a dog or chickens to give it to. Now I have a garbage disposal. I know a lot of people who grew up with chickens that know NOTHING about them. That don't understand that you don't need a rooster to have eggs. They don't realize that a fertilized egg doesn't mean a baby chick. They don't know why eggs have different colored shells. And yet they had chickens until they moved out at 18! I'm amazed at this!
