Strictly pet chickens! Anyone??

[luvmychickies]

All of my 19 chickens are pets, and each one has a name. I am also raising my chickens for the benefit of having fresh eggs, that's how I talked my husband into having chickens.

All I'm saying is I would NEVER kill my chickens for meat, it's just not something I personally would be comfortable with, and it would break my kids' hearts. I treat them just like all my other pets.

 

[tomato lady]

I have 31 young chickens, 3 are roos. None of mine will be on the dinner table.

Years ago I raised pigs and later cows. I made warm slop for the pigs on cold winter evenings. I enjoyed them. But, since they were food we had to butcher. I did not like it and quit raising pigs. Same with the cows.

Now I have pet chickens who will someday give me eggs and live out their natural lives here, and two goats who eat my blackberry bushes. They will live out their lives here as well.

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

Me!!!!!!

I wouldnt eat Cosmo, Cookie, Cocky, Cluck, Olive, Snowball, Cocoa, Oreo, Penny, Peanut, Pebbles, Ginger, or our 17 others ever. you couldnt pay me to.


Live Long The

And yes, i can tell them apart

 

[critterlover]

ALL the critters living with me are pet only, which of course includes my beautiful new 10 chickens! They are my furry and feathers children.

 

[underground chickenman]

A chicken can live for 10 years beyond its productive egg laying years. I'm eating mine when production tails off. Circle of life.

 

[Eggie and Me]

Gads, eat our girls??? NEVER!! We have 3 Barred Rocks and 4 Rhode Island Reds, they're 14 wks and 3 days old. I'm and totally in love

. "Eggie" my husband cracks up because our girls will follow me anywhere. He tries to convince them it's time to go back into their yard and they just look at him, I call them and they come running, heads down wings flapping like humming birds and their little legs looking like something from a really funny cartoon.

As far as I'm concerned they've already paid their way. The joy, entertainment, and comedy they've brought to our family is amazing. Eggs would be great, but just watching them is just so relaxing at this point they'd be nice but not totally necessary. Even our Doxie loves the girls, if they think he's eating something they come running at him and he just happily wags his tail and steps aside.

Thank goodness

 

[The Zoo]

My husband thinks we'll be some of the only people with hens on anti-inflammatories or arthritis medicine when our hens get old!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Strictly pets! How did I miss this thread?! All 17 birds are PETS and will forever be nothing less. When they stop laying, they'll have the best retirement I can give them. They do our little farm a great service with those eggs and the roosters as wonderful protectors.

They are family members. I actually can't wait to have old ladies.

Something to tell the world about.

As it is, our girls are named; our pullets and maybe-cockerels the same. And if they pass away, they are burried in the grounds close by to their homes. And greived. But I always remind themselves that they are in some of the best hands. And I know it makes an impact.

Plus, happy hens make the best eggs.

 

[HappyChickenMom]

Ours are backyard pets and hopefully they will live a good long life. We couldn't kill or eat them as they all have names but I would not hesitate to euthanize for disease or severe injury.

 

[underground chickenman]

Question for those of you with a dozen chickens who plan to provide paid retirement for your birds: Do you intend to give up eggs? At some point, some of you will have no more room for layers if you keep your non-performing pets.

I am not talking about those who are fortunate enough to have lots of land and can just keep adding layers to your flock, so it would be pointless to hear from you on this question. This is a "backyard" chicken forum, so I have to assume that many of you are like me and have 5-10 chickens in your suburban neighborhood and that's all you have room for. They are to whom I direct this question.

I am curious how those of you with no room for more chickens plan on keeping your non-laying hens AND keep having the fresh eggs that you enjoy. Is this just a one time venture and when the eggs dry up you become pet chicken owners?

I will venture a guess that many are just in love with your new 'pets' and gave no thought to this issue before you acquired them. Not a criticism, just a hypothesis. It is actually understandable, but here's where the rubber chicken hits the road, so please pardon my rephrasing of the initial question: What are you going to do when the eggs dry up and you have no room for more layers?