My "other" would be for some small business. Selling both eating and hatching eggs. Raising up pullets to sell to folks who don't want to bother brooding. Preserving a few heritage birds, especially right now the Bourbon Red Turkey.
I also have chickens because they are pretty, interesting and come in a variety of breeds. I also want to help maintain some of the heritage breeds for the future.
We cannot have furry pets because DH and DS have allergies and asthma. We have tired of fish and turtles. Chickens just seemed like they would have more personality and be more fun. Also I have wanted chickens for many many years.
They make me happy. They provide fun & entertainment for my entire family & friends. They make them laugh. They make us feel closer to our earth, to this land we live on, that has been in our family over 100 years.
They are not just chickens; they are family.
I'm an "other" so here goes: My grandfather started a flock of RIRs back in the 1940s. It was his part of the "War Effort" during WWII. He kept that flock going until his death and then my grandmother passed the flock along to his best friend. When I decided to start with some chicks back in the '80s it was Gramp's friend who gave me my starter chicks. I kept that flock going until the whole flock was stolen last Thanksgiving. I never did recover any of my hens or roos. They probably wound up in somebody's stew pot. I do still have a few buff Plymouth Rocks, which I am still keeping today, even though they were not part of Gramp's flock.
I'd have to say I kept the RIRs for all those years because they made me feel "connected" to my grandfather, to his farm (now long gone), and to the past that we shared, he and I.
My "other" is entertainment value! I suppose that goes along with pets, but they are so much more than that. Watching the chickens go about their day is as relaxing as a fish tank.