Just wondering--what got you started into raising chickens?

[a2ms4chickens]

My 10 year old son wanted to join 4-H. My friends were pushing him to raise a pig. I really did not want a hog or sow in my backyard.

So, we gave him the option of raising chickens. A friend of ours fixed him up with 4 showbird pullets and cockerals.

Well, since we had to enclose a stable for these chickens anyway, who would be in separate pens, I thought it would be nice to get a couple of layers. So, we went to the feed store and bought 3 pullets. Then, when we were at a poultry show, I won 3 bantam RIR pullets and a RIR roo.

That was 2 years ago. Now we have 12 showbirds, 12 layers, and 26 chicks, with 2 broodies sitting on another 6 eggs.

Luv 'em all!!

 

[ChanceRider]

I had never really considered raising poultry of any type until last year. I work with a large animal emergency evacuation group that responded to a call for help from Butte County for the Northern California fires last June and July. While working at the large animal evac shelter we cared for some chickens and ducks housed together in a tractor. At the time I didn't even know what a chicken tractor was.

Somehow, that experience led to 9 laying hens, 2 roos, 3 ducks, 13 turkey poults, 14 turkey eggs in the Brinsea, and a couple of batches of Cornish processed and in the freezer. Oh, and about 100 chicken and duck eggs in the cabinet 'bator.

It's addictive!

 

[swedishfish]

My brother used to have quail and chuckars and pheasants. Then I won a chick from school (1st grade) when we studied them and hatched a few. We then bought 6 more, and 6 of the 7 were roos. We sold them all. My brother kept his birds until he went on his mission, and the coops sat in our pasture for years. Then last summer a man died that we knew, and he had an entire backyard full of chickens. They had to get rid of them all, so they were giving them away. I got 4 Buff Brahmas and 3 Wyandottes (1 roo each). Later in the summer I got 5 chicks from my three broodies (4W and 1B). I have another broody now, am building a new coop, and want to get silkies and quail. So we'll see how it goes. I love my chickies!

 

[TimG]

Nothing amusing here. My son enjoyed catching grasshoppers and tossing them in the chicken run at a local farm stand. One day he asked his mother if he could get some chickens for his (5th) birthday and she said "yes".

He took care of them for a while (with lots of help from Dad), but after a couple of years decided he didn't want to take care of them anymore so we gave them away.

A couple years after that, I decided I missed the chickens and got some for myself. Between laying flock, meat birds and chicks, we currently have 53 chickens from 10 days old to a little over 2 years old. I don't get much help with their care. But, my son eats fresh eggs for breakfast every morning and loves making and eating chicken soup.

 

[anthonyjames]

Wanted to teach our two girls (4 & 2) where their food came from. Seeing as we send our oldest to a nature school for daycare 3 days a week and we compost, have rain barrels, rain gardens, gardens and more thought this would fit perfectly with our lifestyle and we have the room for a few birds.

So far it is working great and the kids love to sit in the run with them and they chicks are already coming to them to roost on their knees. Chicks are 4 weeks old.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I read an article about the home flock in Organic Gardening Magazine in late 1992 and told DH I wanted chickens. My sons were 4 & 6 at the time. We found a local mill to order them from & DH built me an 8 by 8 coop. I started out with 10 Barred Rocks (1 rooster) and the kids and I had such fun! Several of our first chicks were like pets and we saved 3 from the first wave of selling for replacements. They moved into their new digs in June 1993. My first flock of 9 girls layed over 2500 eggs their first year. I kept all my husband's Aunts in eggs back then. Finally this year I told him I wanted another coop to keep some bantams, so 16 years later I will have two flocks! Of course the chicks are 10 days old & he is still working on the coop..................rather hard these last three days though!

 

[ZZsBabiez]

I've had chickens on and off for most of my life.. with like a 10 year gap.

This "round" was when a freind gave me 4 dozen fresh eggs... brought back memories.. and made store boughts taste like water..
At the same time, another friend almost had me talked into getting another puppy.. I said.. "I can't.. I'm getting chicks" and raced to the feed store that day..

Never dreamed it would blossom into what it has..

4 coops, 2 temp. pens, 2 bators, and I have no clue how many chickens.. They have brought me so much joy..

Great thread!!

 

[HappyKat]

I have been interested in them for a while. I thought it would be neat for the kids to see where food comes from.

I also think birds are beautiful!

 

[Balfour Girl]

We were caring for our neighbour's flock while he worked out of town last summer, and one of the hens was attacked by a coyote. She lived but had a large wound on her back and couldn't be put back in the coop with the rest. We brought her home and put her in a large dog kennel and when she was better we grabbed a hen from the flock to keep her company and kept them both. The entire story is on my personal page, with photos, if you're interested. Like everyone who's posted here today, I love my chickens!!

 

[Bluebyrd]

The idea came from eating healthier, the cost of eggs here, and being self sufficient. So I decided ( and was able to talk my husband into) a FEW chickens. You know about 6-currently I have 16.

What I didn't expect was how much I would like the birds, and how much my kids would take to them. I really enjoy watching my kids learn to take care of them and how they learn to handle them. It really brings out something gentle and caring. Its a great partnership!

We never had them growing up, but I sure wish we did!