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

[KLC321]

Wow - can't believe I've had chickens for so long - 32 years! When we moved to rural property it came with a barn and a chicken coop. Someone gave us chickens they no longer wanted and we've had chickens ever since. We've had many, many breeds. We usually buy pullets but I did try raising my own chicks from my own hens one time. I have found this site to be EXTREMELY helpful over the years.

 

[2Arroyos]

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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?

We got started raising chickens by accident. We bought a farm and were raising ducks and sheep. My husband decided we were going to pass on chickens. I am a physician and one of my patients showed up one day to my clinic with a box of 6 black chicks from tractor supply. So here I was, at work at the hospital with the chickens trying to figure out what to do. I sent a text to my husband: " Honey we have an issue" followed with a picture of the chickens. By the time I got off work he had managed to build a chicken coop. Since, we have hatched some and now have about 20. The original 6 are 5 years old and have been grandfathered in. And... we love them!!

 

[Daisy Minotaur]

I wanted to produce my own eggs
I got two straight run ducklings Perkins from rural king unfortunately they turned out to be both drakes no new ducklings or eggs there!
then Only a few months later my god father passed away and I inherited his eight ducks one more pekin drake one mallard drake and six Muscovys four ducks and two drakes I now have over thirty ducks and drakes and though they won’t produce vary many eggs they start laying in the spring!

 

[rachel9]

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 started raising my Rhode Island Reds because my neighbor and Landlord had his own chickens and asked me to take care of them when he was on vacation.

I had always been attracted to chickens when I have seen them at different zoos and Farms. They are gentle animals and I love getting the eggs!

I love it that you don’t have to go to the grocery store to get your eggs! All you have to do is go outside in the morning and I love it when they are warm to the Touch!

It’s always an adventure to see how many lovely round brown eggs my girls have given me each day!

I will not take a break from them because they are my babies!

However, I lost my dear girl Sarah within the last few weeks due to a predator.

The other girls had been persecuting her, pecking at her mercilessly and so I let her out of the coop at night she liked to roost on top of the coop.

I thought she was safe, but alas no!

In the morning I found find her and was so upset to discover her dead in the corner, I could not even touch her to retrieve.

 

[rachel9]

I got started raising my Rhode Island Reds because my neighbor and Landlord had his own chickens and asked me to take care of them when he was on vacation.

I had always been attracted to chickens when I have seen them at different zoos and Farms. They are gentle animals and I love getting the eggs!

I love it that you don’t have to go to the grocery store to get your eggs! All you have to do is go outside in the morning and I love it when they are warm to the Touch!

It’s always an adventure to see how many lovely round brown eggs my girls have given me each day!

I will not take a break from them because they are my babies!

However, I lost my dear girl Sarah within the last few weeks due to a predator.

The other girls had been persecuting her, pecking at her mercilessly and so I let her out of the coop at night she liked to roost on top of the coop.

I thought she was safe, but alas no!

In the morning I found find her and was so upset to discover her dead in the corner, I could not even touch her to retrieve.

 

[ValerieJ]

Oh yes, and I learned how to sex eggs quite accurately, so the incidence of roosters is kept mercifully low!

How do you sex an egg? I've never heard of such a thing.

Wow - can't believe I've had chickens for so long - 32 years! When we moved to rural property it came with a barn and a chicken coop. Someone gave us chickens they no longer wanted and we've had chickens ever since. We've had many, many breeds. We usually buy pullets but I did try raising my own chicks from my own hens one time. I have found this site to be EXTREMELY helpful over the years.

Why didn't you let the hen raise her chicks? Do you mean you hatched them in an incubator and then raised them?

 

[Kiki]

I did not read the entire thread. But anybody else notice the days on the eggshell don't line up with how long it takes to hatch chickens? Perhaps that is a Muscovy duck based on days.

Can you say this on a different way?
I'm not understanding.

 

[tysonray801]

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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?

My interest developed quickly after the purchase of our first home. I now had the space and freedom to fully explore all of my interests related home ownership with gardening and agriculture chiefly among them. In my mind raising a garden and chickens went hand in hand. However being new to both, I realized only after diving in, that my chickens have the potential to do more damage than good if the right steps, planning and their environment aren’t carefully considered. Fortunately it has been a rewarding and happy labor of love.
Living in the Wasatch mountains meant that selecting cold-hardy breeds was paramount. Second, I am the father of seven kids, and I wanted hens with a reputation for having a mild and docile temperament. We ultimately decided on a Buff Orpington, Ameraucana, and an Barred Plymouth Rock... One of each.
I've been overjoyed with the experience and pleasantly surprised around each corner as I learn about my hens and how to best care for them. The examples are too many to list here. But my favorite and most unexpected part about raising backyard chickens is how attached they have become to me and vice versa. Please enjoy a few of the pics of our flock.

 

[Don 27]

We had rabbits for approx 10 years. They were nice to have. The chickens my mother had also were nice. But not such a good company as my Dutch. So I didnt now where I was waiting for.

10 years that's a long time! I bet you took excellent care of them. In the wild the average rabbit lives 2 to 3years. Cats are similar. Chickens must have been a good change up then.

 

[Don 27]

Have you read any of @Shadrach's articles? He could give you some tips about free ranging chickens.

Now that I think about it I did talk to the guy about free ranging. He knows his stuff.