Strictly pet chickens! Anyone??

[Hazelnut]

I don't think it's about the eggs. Dogs and cats are popular pets and they certainly don't lay eggs.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Quote:
Then i shall have no more farm fresh eggs.... I keep some rotated for egg production but as of right now I have 22 hens who are NOT going anywhere ever! If need be I will build more enclosures. I keep my seramas for breeding , some I need to cull but can't bring myself to do it so they will join the "pet flock" All of mine have names an unique personalities, all are very special to me even the rooster who attacks me, he is the first one to greet me when I pull into the driveway from work. I never intended to get chickens just for meat or eggs so it has always been the plan to keep them as pets. They are cheep therapy

 

[seismic wonder2]

My two silkies are pets that just happen to give me eggs (when they aren't broody

)

If I had more room, I would have "meaties" or egg layers that would become soup when they stop laying. But they would NOT be pets with names. They would be a food item.

I can make the distinction, but I don't think my wife would ever eat chicken again.

 

[RachelFromTheBlackLagoon]

I have several animals that don't "pay their way". I enjoy their companionship and I respect and love them for what they are. I don't feel that every animal who lives with me needs to provide for me. I work a full time and a part time job to provide for myself. I simply enjoy having them around.

 

[kagedgoddess]

i fi cant keep them all in a few years when they stop, i will try to find a nice farm to retire them on, i know a few farmers will do that. ... 20 might not go over well, but i only have 7 right now. this is kinda like saying you should eat your roos if you dont want fertle eggs. i dont care about them, and so dont need a roo, but we really like him, so we keep him. he s our pet. and anyways, if you only cared about eggs, youd just buy laying hens, not peeps!

 

[PeepsInc]

I dont have a problem hunting for a meal, but not my chickens! I have nothing but bantams, most are smaller than pigeons. I got them for the therapy aspect,as mentioned above. I'm realy just addicted to incubating eggs. There all my pets, but I've only named 2 that I got from the auction(Hewy & Dewy).The auctioneer sold them to me when I wasn't bidding. Thier molted cochins, and one has a cough (might even both be Roo's). I keep them seperate from my other 2 flocks. I cant bring myself to cull them. There the cutest most docile birds I've ever seen. I've been medicating them, and adding yogurt to there diet. I let them out to exercise ever day. I therally wash up after dealing with them,so I dont spread anything. They'll have a place in my door yard for as long as they live. I know I should cull them ,but I cant!

 

[critterlover]

I have 10 females and having eggs was not why I decided to get chickens. They can live a long, healthy and comfy life here.

 

[Buugette]

I currently have 3 bantams... 1 polish and 2 silkies (who just happen to be roos). They are pets... but unfortunately, I cannot keep the roos. I have found a home for them, and just yesterday ordered 5 silkie hens from MyPetChicken. They will be pets as well. I would like the eggs, but I don't really care about them. I just love sitting with the ones I have now. They are very much lap chickens.

They are just under 3 months old, and still living in the sun room in a very nice rabbit cage. My hubby is still building my coop... its taking forever cause I keep seeing things on this site that I like and have him make alterations to his original design. (Now I want "skylights" in the roof.)

They are so spoiled... when I get home from work, I open their little door, they hop out and head directly to the sliding doors. I open them and let them run the yard. I leave the slider open about 6 inches, and they come back in when done outside. The polish (Wilamena) finds me and wants picked up. The other wait for me to put them back in the cage and give them their snack.

I just love having chickens. This is my first time and it is so addicting.

PS... my hubby hunts and I have a tough time eating it if I can identify it... I really don't think I could eat something that I named and raised. Store bought is fine, I never knew it personally.

D

 

[raspeary]

I plan on keeping my chickens till they die naturally unless sick or injured. I have 5 buff orpingtons and rhode island reds that I am absolutely attached too and could never dream of eating.

I on the other hand, have no problem eating the chickens that are specifically meant for meat.

 

[redhen]

The chickens that i make my "pets" i would never eat, and i'd only kill them if i had to end their suffering for some reason. But..if i bought birds that i knew we would be eating i would be able to keep the 2 seperate in my mind. I think that it is possible to have some chickens for pets AND some for eating..