Official BYC Poll: Why Do You Have Chickens?

[pennyJo1960]

Gave mine crushed ice from the freezer this morning poured on the floor
cools the coops also just a cick watching them standing in the ice pecking at it

 

[Ridgerunner]

Mainly to play with genetics and to eat. Eggs are a nice side benefit.

 

[vzofam]

Hobby. I love sitting outside and watching them.

 

[CaramelKittey]

The main reason was eggs, but chickens come with a lot of bonuses!
Our chickens eggs for our consumption, and for hatching! We hatch their eggs and sell the chicks, or see the eggs for hatching purposes. Our chickens also work for pest control, fertilizer, and we show them in 4-H. Haven’t been to an APA or ABA show yet, but I’d like to if there are any nearby.

 

[Araucana Nest]

Over the years I've kept chickens for eggs and meat. Now as a vegetarian, I keep them for eggs. It's far more humane and healthier all around to have a few chickens in the yard for eggs than to support the suffering and pollution of factory egg layers. Did I say a few chickens? I now keep a variety of breeds for pleasure and as a small side income since COVID happened. I love learning about the breeds and raising chicks from the egg to the coop. I've raised many different breeds since I first started almost 20 years ago and have come back to the Orpington as my favorite of all time. But I also love the Araucana. I love the relationships they form with each other and with me. They help compost the manure in the horse and cow paddocks. They keep the fly population down. It's a mutually beneficial relationship. ♥

 

[BleuSaphir]

I want to keep chickens, because they offer eggs. They can cut down pest control, their poop is valuable for compost. And most of all, they are entertaining to watch! All based on past experience.

 

[chickmamato7]

Personal enjoyment/stress relief... eggs are just a bonus

 

[City Farmer Jim]

I agree with Chickmamato7...we at Snowflake Farm call our girls "a feathered aquarium" they are normally so relaxing and fun to watch.

 

[Araucana Nest]

I've started planting passion flower vs milkweeds though as I don't know how well they would tolerate the toxins from Monarchs/Queens/Soldier butterfly larva. I just know my chicken would be off to the races with those larvae.

I have milkweed all over the place, it sprouts everywhere and brings Monarchs (also have swallowtails and a general abundance of butterflies and moths) where my chickens free range. Haven't ever had an issue.

 

[Araucana Nest]

I forgot to mention.....

The more chickens you have the crazier people think you are and the less likely they are to hang around.



Just in case anyone gets an idea that I am not nuts.....I added ducks.


Does that count as pest control?

Ducks do an amazing job with mosquito larva.