Official BYC Poll: How Important Is It That You Get Eggs From Your Chickens?

[BReeder!]

The rating system descriptions don't quite fit the way I manage my flock. Eggs are expected as best they can be from the breed. We have different breeds though and not all are production breeds. We use artificial lighting to supplement daylight. However, that is not to say we expect an egg from every hen every day. Some last very infrequently. Others are regular layers. No eggs for a long time gets you on the naughy list, but it doesn't mean death row either.

 

[Devils Flower]

It's a nice benefit...
My chickens are my friends and part of the family. I have hens as old as 8 and as young as 2 years. My girls are very happy and I enjoy working hard at keeping them healthy and happy. I fill my girls show me how much they appreciate what I do for them that they give me eggs. I even get eggs in the middle of winter with out making them hot mash or anything like that. I have never been with out eggs..

 

[Brooks_]

Other. Turns out we ate more eggs before having chickens. I think we like the food security more than the eggs themselves. And the chickens are great fun to have.

 

[Gizabelle]

For me, eggs are a nice perk. But.... I sold my husband on chickens with the promise of eggs, so these girls gotta help me out a bit and produce enough to placate him

Exactly!!

 

[kkcowgirl]

I initially voted, "Somewhat important", but changed it to "It's a nice benefit". I originally bought chickens because I wanted an easily sustained food source. I felt chickens were probably going to be the next toilet paper, bottled water, or hand sanitizer, so I'd better get them while I could. I never thought I would fall in love with the darn things!! So, Ruthie, Scudder, Amanda, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Ruby Tuesday, and my little red hen Rosie the Riveter are family. Eggs are a nice benefit, but my girlies produce more than I need, so I get to share the wealth with family, friends, and the needy in our community. These ladies' company is invaluable, and they are friendly, fun entertainment. And soon we'll be adding a roo, Festus!

 

[Solanacae]

I don’t light my coop, and I don’t plan to cull birds when they stop laying as much. However I may rehome some of the ones I don’t love as much so I can make room for younger layers. (There are a couple of people I know that use chickens for bug control and are happy to take free hens or roosters that others don’t want.) That said, one of my top priorities in choosing a breed is their egg laying ability. I am willing to get a chicken that doesn’t lay quite as much in favor of an interesting color as long as I’ll still get a decent amount of eggs from her. I favor heritage breeds over hybrids, but I do have a sex link, an olive egger, and an Easter egger.

 

[Brooks_]

I initially voted, "Somewhat important", but changed it to "It's a nice benefit". I originally bought chickens because I wanted an easily sustained food source. I felt chickens were probably going to be the next toilet paper, bottled water, or hand sanitizer, so I'd better get them while I could. I never thought I would fall in love with the darn things!! So, Ruthie, Scudder, Amanda, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Ruby Tuesday, and my little red hen Rosie the Riveter are family. Eggs are a nice benefit, but my girlies produce more than I need, so I get to share the wealth with family, friends, and the needy in our community. These ladies' company is invaluable, and they are friendly, fun entertainment. And soon we'll be adding a roo, Festus!

Love the names.

 

[kkcowgirl]

Love the names.

I was trying to use names from the TV show Gunsmoke, but there are only so many girl names. Poor Scudder! But she is a bit of a whiner, so appropriately named, I think!

Bette and Joan are the two bossy girls, so also appropriately named, and Ruby and Rosie because they are RIR.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Whenever I first started, I wanted chickens for the eggs. After realizing the wonderful companionship they provide, I started adding breeds that I was interested in for their looks and personality. Now I am swimming in eggs and need to start selling them asap. Luckily I have a family member that will happily buy every dozen of eggs that I'll sell him but I need to call him to let him know. I stopped selling for a while after deworming my flock and molting. I'm not sure what he does with so many eggs. I'm getting at the very least 13 eggs per day but that's only on the rare occasion. I prefer to eat bantam eggs and I love eggs so I'm not planning on selling those unless they're requested. I don't have any high production breeds, I don't think. I started out with dual purpose but have grown since. I also have 2 ducks and one of them lays every single day without fail no matter what. The other one has started back laying so that's another 2 eggs every day. I don't know anyone that wants duck eggs although my daughter prefers them. She just doesn't eat them often. They get minnows every night so I worry they'll taste fishy. I need to try them for myself

 

[Brooks_]

Whenever I first started, I wanted chickens for the eggs. After realizing the wonderful companionship they provide, I started adding breeds that I was interested in for their looks and personality. Now I am swimming in eggs and need to start selling them asap. Luckily I have a family member that will happily buy every dozen of eggs that I'll sell him but I need to call him to let him know. I stopped selling for a while after deworming my flock and molting. I'm not sure what he does with so many eggs. I'm getting at the very least 13 eggs per day but that's only on the rare occasion. I prefer to eat bantam eggs and I love eggs so I'm not planning on selling those unless they're requested. I don't have any high production breeds, I don't think. I started out with dual purpose but have grown since. I also have 2 ducks and one of them lays every single day without fail no matter what. The other one has started back laying so that's another 2 eggs every day. I don't know anyone that wants duck eggs although my daughter prefers them. She just doesn't eat them often. They get minnows every night so I worry they'll taste fishy. I need to try them for myself

I'd buy duck eggs any day. Chicken math or ducks? Or both?