Official BYC Poll: Why Do You Have Chickens?

[pennyJo1960]

Ahh heck wait I have 30 in one coop 8 in another. Banty land is just 4 birds

 

[Newby777]

I checked eggs, but that alone is not the whole reason.
I love farm fresh eggs, and i sell some.
Chickens are great entertainment.
I enjoy chicks and broody moms raising chicks.
I love my rooster crowing, and how he cares for his flock of girls.
My farm would be to quiet and lonely without them.
I wonder how many back yard chicken owners actually pay all their costs and make a
Profit selling there chicken eggs? I would guess little to none.

I know my eggs are a lot “per dozen”! But we LOVE watching them. I’ve grown to want colored eggs and my taste buds just HATE store bought eggs now. I need to learn a lot more before I had enough chickens to sell eggs. I currently have 9 laying hens. And we just bought 9 chicks that we have in a brooder. I just placed 21 eggs in the incubator for a first time hatching. Fingers crossed we don’t have too much heartache! Hope some make it!!! My hubby, boys and I built us a beautiful combination chicken coop and they love it. These little chicks provide me so much entertainment! My favorite thing is watching them fall asleep standing up!!! I just can’t handle the cuteness!!!

 

[Bridget B]

The pandemic pushed me over the edge. I'm accustomed to being busy at dog shows, or hunt tests or something outdoors. Quarantined at home is not my cup of tea. So now we have chickens, my therapy and stress busters. The girls are 24 weeks old and 3 of them have just started to lay. We have 8 hens, looking forward to all of them laying someday. They provide plenty of laughs, many hours of projects, and eggs too!

 

[KyCarolyn]

Originally got them for eggs and meat. We started with 3 x as many males as females. I now have 6 hens and a rooster. They provide hours of entertainment during their free range time, 1-2 hours a day. Rooster is dumb but takes care of his girls and they adore him, I think. Good stress buster and a reason to get outside everyday.

 

[Chiknoodle]

I have them as pets but they are for eggs to! My egg business is called egg-a-licous.

 

[Imse]

For many reasons.

First of all, I like chickens, they are such a pleasure just to sit and watch.
They give us eggs and meat.
And their poop fertilizes our garden.

It's a life cycle by all means.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I have chickens mainly for pets and to create some nice coloring. The eggs are a bonus though.

 

[Wolfie2]

Lifestyle, life choice. Family had chickens whe I was a child. Just seemed natural that I have some too. I have a little land with room for them to safely roam. I give them a relatively safe, easy life. They give me eggs, some meat, something to keep me occupied and peace of mind! Would you call it a symbiotic relationship? I give them something and they return the favor!

 

[VirginiaLowe]

We are mainly vegetarian, so eggs are our main protein. I hate the way battery hens are treeated, and even 'free range'. The government regulator allows something like 10,000 per herctare, which is nearly as bad. So we don't feel guilty about our protein, and probably save a bit (never worked it out). Also i don't drive (after heart valve replacement 20 years ago) so i'm always getting lifts wiht friends in the various book groups, poetry groups, ex-school groups and others i belong to. I pay the drivers with six fresh eggs each time. I have also had arrangements where i swap a loaf of handmade sourdough bread for a dozen eggs - that worked well too, while it lasted.

 

[Weeg]

We got chickens years ago when I was really young. My parents didn't know much, and there wasn't any internet were we live back then, so no where to learn either.
They were for eggs mostly, and my love for then grew as I got older. My parents threatened to get rid of them, and I took over full responsibility so we could keep them.
Once I joined BYC because of a question about my broody, I realized there was so much I was missing, and so much to learn. I really started to bond with, and appreciate my hens more after that.
Now they're just pets. I have a whole flock of bantams, because bantams are hysterical and adorable.
Having chickens has opened me up so much to the farm life. I've learned so much from them. I think they're the reason I know I want to be a vet. They get into trouble every way imaginable, you better be ready to be your own home vet.
I just love them. Can't wait to build a bigger, better, more funtional run this winter as well. Thanks BYC for all the awesome ideas!