Official BYC Poll: Why Do You Have Chickens - Select All That Apply

[SpringPeeper]

My 'other' is that I think keeping chickens for eggs, meat and occasional breeding is a fantastic educational experience for kids. So many kids are clueless about life cycles and where our food comes from. Another of my 'other' reasons is personal ethics regarding how my animal-based food products are raised and processed. One more 'other' is a desire to preserve heritage breeds.

 

[Blooie]

<sigh> Because I'm a glutton for punishment?

 

[PearlGrey]

I have horses, so I wanted bug control - I guess, the bugs are beginning to control themselves now that I stopped using pesticides and have praying mantis and dragonflies and bats and all. And I wanted eggs.

And I wanted chickens because my grandmother always had chickens.

 

[fosterfarms]

I want them to help me turn the compost pile.

 

[anngautier]

Better than T.V.

 

[FrostBytn]

Getting chickens was the last thing on our minds but when we saw a "free to a good home OR for food" ad as a vegan I could not see them ending up on someones plate! We made arrangements and even though we didn't really have a place for them nor a car to go get them we still got them and brought them home so they would be safe from slaughter. You read right, we did not have a car at the time so I took a medium size dog carrier, strapped it onto the back of our motorcycle and off I went! Yes, of course I got strange looks! I mean how often do you see a 2 wheel Kawasaki chicken hauler with 5 hens and a rooster? Anyway, we had a giant dog crate we kept them in as we built them a place to live. In the meantime they stayed in the crate. The guy that gave them away claimed they had stopped laying but after a while they did start laying. That is not why we got them but since they are well cared for pets and they are not trying to sit on the nest to hatch we do eat the few eggs they lay. We have 1 lacewing, a couple of red sex links, a couple of auracana and I am not sure but I think Charlie our rooster is an aruacana. We really do enjoy them and their different personalities, they are a lot of fun. AND HERE IS OUR FIRST EGG

 

[FrostBytn]

Your Charlie looks a bit like my George.
George is considered an Easter Egger instead of an Ameraucana.
People that raise Ameraucanas get upset when you confuse an EE for an Ameraucana.
I have 10 EE's and love them.

 

[anngautier]

I'm happy for you .... and even more happy for your chickens, thanks for giving them a good home.

 

[Rekon]

My 'other' is a multiple:
Therapy- I suffer from major depression, and the chickens help, especially my cuddly ones.
History- I keep silkies and Polish because both breeds date to the Middle Ages, and my family is in the Society for Creative Anachronism, a medieval history group with an education and service focus. I bring chickens to events and cook with their eggs, and will provide them to cooks seeking to more accurately follow recipes from that time.
Conservation- I also keep Russian Orloffs, an endangered heritage breed. I will be breeding them and plan to exchange breeding stock with others to preserve the breed.

 

[princesssophie]

Emptynest syndrome. Needed a new hobby. My chickens make me laugh. They all know their names. They are indoor outdoor along with my dogs and one cat. I love my chickens. What can I say!