Official BYC Poll: How Long Have You Been Raising Chickens?

[Shadrach]

So, @Kiki just out of interest, how long have you been 'raising' chickens?

 

[Clairemarie1982]

Yep!

Wow that’s amazing! Gives me hope for my flock

 

[starri33]

It's been 5 years for me, I got interested because of the price of eggs, I'd lived in SC before moving to AZ, I was use to paying .99 cents a dozen for eggs, then moved out to AZ and it was almost 3.00 per dozen. I figured I'd just get 6 hens, that would supply me with enough eggs for my husband and I, then I read on here where people lost a bunch of their chicks, so I got another 6 of the Black Sexlinks, I ended up with 12 healthy and happy hens.. I'm afraid chicken math struck and I now have 50 +/-

 

[LadyDanu9]

I got started a little over 7 years ago. Moved into a rental in a campground where a former tenant, who passed away, had chickens and rabbits. All the rabbits were gone by the time I got there. However, there was one chicken left; a hen.

As more folks moved out, the hen stayed behind and would come over to feed on the bird seed I threw out for the birds. Ended up keeping her until a dog got her a year & a half ago.

Now have 28 chickens (hens mostly & a couple roosters)

 

[Kiki]

So, @Kiki just out of interest, how long have you been 'raising' chickens?

I voted 3 but my flock is almost 4 years old now.
I'm young still.

 

[Kikai]

View attachment 2009564​

How many of our peeps are really new to raising chickens and how many are old-timers?

In addition to answering the poll, please reply with some fun details, like:

What got you interested in raising chickens?
Did you ever "take a break" and not have chickens?
What breeds did you start with, how many, and do you have any pictures to share?

I started right after we bought our house. We usedour chickens for eggs, and I started with 4 Americauna. I add to the flock as we lose chickens to either Hawks, Fisher cats, coyote, etc. I've had barred rocks, NH reds, and some farmyard cross breeds. So far, the Americauna are my favorite for egg color, and the NH red for personality. I have 7 Ayam Cemani in the incubator currently, looks like 4 are developing well. I do my 2nd candle tonight.

 

[Vicker]

View attachment 2009567

Beautiful birds. I've never seen that breed. The colors remind me of an "everything bagel"

 

[nashua]

View attachment 2009564​

How many of our peeps are really new to raising chickens and how many are old-timers?

In addition to answering the poll, please reply with some fun details, like:

What got you interested in raising chickens?
Did you ever "take a break" and not have chickens?
What breeds did you start with, how many, and do you have any pictures to share?

I got interested in raising chickens several years ago when my husband and I were looking for a house to buy. They had chickens in the yard, (black sex links I think) and when we stepped outside and walked around to talk the chickens followed us. They sat and seemed to listen while we talked under a tree. I saw how intelligent and aware and curious they were and I loved that. Also had a childhood memory of a relative showing me how to feed her chickens and how they responded. When we bought our home I found a neighbor who was experienced raising chickens and with her support I purchased new hatchlings, kept them in a cardboard box brooder, and eventually in our coop and run. I had 6 Gold Star Cinnamon Queens, 2 wheaten Americaunas, and 2 black Austrolorpes. I lost one Gold Star just before one year of age --possibly to Ascites. All the rest are fine at 14 months.

 

[GAGE]

Can't totally remember my reasoning for wanting them, but it has been around 10 years since we got our first ones. We started with a small order of mixed chicks from MPC, and then added a few local silkies. Our high was 35-40 and now we are at 30 plus 2 turkeys. I would like to add some quail next.

 

[jspeese]

My godmother raised chickens, possibly got her chicks from Murray McMurray because she had an amazing diversity of fancy breeds. I was always fascinated with them, and learned at an early age to identify many of the ornamental breeds. My first chicken as a child was a Polish mixed breed she gave me as a pet. Her mother was a golden-laced Polish (one of those rare ones that went broody), and she and her siblings were jet black with faint lacing, kind of like the way the spots of a black leopard can be seen in certain lights. Unfortunately she was killed by a dog right in front of me...I've never really liked dogs as a species (although there are some magnificent individual ones) ever since. It wasn't until I was a young adult (1980 or so) that I seriously started, or for that matter was able (college, being away, etc.) to raise chickens. Started with a mixed flock of red sex links, orpingtons, brahmas, and of course silver and gold-laced polish, about 30 in all. And just before that I got Muscovy ducks. Don't have pictures, this was well before the days of digital cameras and cell phones that take pictures.