What a debate! I love the fact that we are all able to speak our minds without reproach.
I would say that our chicken farm philosophy is somewhere in the middle of the road. We raise bantam chickens for pleasure. They are our pets and they all have names. Their eggs are used to hatch or sold to hatch not eat. Because of their compact nature, they are fun for the kids and people enjoy watching them and having them (requiring less space/feed than larger chickens)
We also have some of our larger chickens that have names and they are 100% pets. I could never eat anything with a name. However, they are something we "farm." We raise them, take care of them, give them a nice home with plenty of space, we respect their needs and raise some young to sell. But at the end of the day..we will eat their eggs and them if the situation calls for it. We want to have a healthy flock that can reproduce in a healthy manner. At some point in the "farming" process some much be culled and replaced. They provide so much more to us that just substance. They are great pests controllers, they provide a wealth of knowledge and experiences to my kids, and they are enjoyable to have around!
I think that those of you who keep chickens solely as pets are awesome! It is a luxury that I do not have as They are part of our income and lifestyle. I think very highly of my birds as they provided so much for me and my family.
Thanks for letting me share!