Picking up straight run BCM and EE advice for how to choose day old chicks.

[BirdieandFifi]

I 3rd that. Naming them makes it too real. Hell I even kept my rooster’s name as his female name because he responded to it and I felt bad changing it on him. I got rid of him the 2nd I found a good home. I wanted to keep him! But knew that wasn’t an option. I almost cried rehoming him. I’m so bad with this. That’s why I’m so skeptical to get any straight runs again. I’m not cut out for rehoming, eating them, etc

 

[cavemanrich]

@BirdieandFifi
But I name all my girls.... I also only buy pullets or hens, since roosters are not allowed here.
I only keep them as pets, and do eat the eggs. They live loooooong lives until they cross the Raibow bridge on their own. Some were taken by predators.
My -----longest----- lived 13 years. A recent one lived 11 years, of which the last 2 were sad because she was blind from a dog attack. Recovered and ate, and got around OK. Had to keep her separate so other chickens would not pick on her. I don't think she knew she was in a cage while on lawn.

In the evening inside coop, she stayed on the floor, The rest were up on roost. There were never any issues in coop.

 

[BirdieandFifi]

@BirdieandFifi
But I name all my girls.... I also only buy pullets or hens, since roosters are not allowed here.
I only keep them as pets, and do eat the eggs. They live loooooong lives until they cross the Raibow bridge on their own. Some were taken by predators.
My -----longest----- lived 13 years. A recent one lived 11 years, of which the last 2 were sad because she was blind from a dog attack. Recovered and ate, and got around OK. Had to keep her separate so other chickens would not pick on her. I don't think she knew she was in a cage while on lawn.
View attachment 1695137
In the evening inside coop, she stayed on the floor, The rest were up on roost. There were never any issues in coop.

So cute! That’s kinda what I plan to do... only buy hens and pullets. They are hard to come buy unless you buy autosexing breeds though. Most people I find don’t want to sell their pullets and hens. Maybe I live in an area where chickens aren’t popular?

Poor little hen. I always am super careful even with my little dogs because I don’t trust them. But it’s hard to always keep them separated and then my boyfriend lets them out by accident when I have the girls free-ranging

My little 3 month old gets picked on as well. But it’s mostly because she’s a silkie and my other is a Sumatra. Horrible combo. One bully breed and one sheep breed. The silkie is so low confidence I have to physically put her up in the coop each night or she’ll sleep in the run. It’s getting old. I’m pretty sure my Sumatra thinks the silkie is a statue which is why she pecks her. #chickenproblems

 

[Paradisefarmshomestead]

I 3rd that. Naming them makes it too real. Hell I even kept my rooster’s name as his female name because he responded to it and I felt bad changing it on him. I got rid of him the 2nd I found a good home. I wanted to keep him! But knew that wasn’t an option. I almost cried rehoming him. I’m so bad with this. That’s why I’m so skeptical to get any straight runs again. I’m not cut out for rehoming, eating them, etc

You know, when we had to kill our first rooster cause he was injured and we really couldn’t do anything else to help him without spending hundreds.. i thought i would be sad and crying but i didn’t. I was upset for a bit, but i knew that was his destiny. He couldn’t join the rest of the flock. We had nowhere for him to go and he was injured. I didn’t eat him though. I felt that was too much for me to handle. The rest of the family ate him. Sometimes we have to truly give in to the circle of life. Right now I have 6 roosters and 3 of them must be killed. Just having to choose is also really damn hard.