The truth about chickens

[RThomas]

A lot of people come to this site to learn about chickens before they decide to try and raise them. Most of us love our chickens and want to paint a positive picture and encourage others to raise and love them like we do. However, there are some things that may get over looked - the negatives of raising chickens. And, these may not necessarily be bad things, just some info that may be helpful when someone is considering raising chicks for the first time. A lot of these will appear to be common sense, but sometimes, when we really want something, we don't consider what may otherwise seem obvious.

I just wanted to list a few of the "ugly" facts of chicken raising. Feel free to add your own!

1. Baby chicks grow up. Those cute little fur balls get bigger - a lot bigger.
2. Chickens poop. A lot. You'll step in. It gets on your birds and likely on you. If they free range, it will be in your yard, on your steps, in your driveway, ect.
3. If your birds free range, be prepared for your flowers and gardens to get destroyed. They will eat, trample, and dust bathe in your plants.
4. You have to clean your coop and run.
5. Chickens get sick. Most of their diseases are contagious and even when they no longer show symptoms, they can be carriers and pass the disease on to other birds.
6. Chickens get killed. All that effort into raising and caring for your birds just to have the neighbor's dog break into your pen and kill them all.

Ok, that's my short list. Feel free to add.

 

[kasey08]

 

[onthespot]

everyone knows roosters are noisy, but no one tells you how LOUD hens can cackle, the ENTIRE FLOCK, when ONE hen lays ONE egg. It's unbelieveable really!

 

[hallerlake]

7. Chick sexing is only 90% accurate. There is a chance that one or more of those adorable chicks will turn out to be male. You won't know for weeks or even months, and in the mean time you'll have invested time, money, and affection in the thing. Then, you have to decide whether you can bring yourself to eat him or or give him away.

8. They're addicting. You buy a few chicks, and next thing you know you're buying an incubator, building another coop, salivating over all the different breeds there are to try, and wondering if the neighbors would notice if you got a rooster.

 

[fishnet1971]

They're addicting. You buy a few chicks, and next thing you know you're buying an incubator, building another coop, salivating over all the different breeds there are to try, and wondering if the neighbors would notice if you got a rooster.

ohhhh now THATS the big one....... make sure your dh can handle that one. Because you


9. Can never have enough chickens.​

 

[kristim23]

HEY! Cut it out!! My husband might see this! I just got him talked into the whole backyard flock thing!

 

[Beekissed]

They are the number one food of choice for most predators in your area~prepare accordingly.

They are tough as nails and also die quite easily from mysterious causes of which you may never find the origin.

You may have to kill one to ease it's pain and misery....be prepared to do this before you ever purchase a chicken.


Roosters are not pets, no matter how sweet or cuddly they may be...first and foremost they are male animals with testosterone levels that may have them act out of their character as you have known it. Cuddle the hens, let the roo be a roo and you won't find yourself bloody, shocked or disappointed down the road.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

10. Roosters don't just crow in the morning when the sun comes up. They'll crow all day long (and all night long, too), whenever they feel like they want to. Occasionally, a hen will crow, too (although that's pretty rare).

(I still love roosters!

)

 

[Junkmanme]

also.....SOME Roosters may ATTACK you.

 

[fishnet1971]

11. chicken poop does NOT wash out of silk, or nylon, or wool ..... or anything for that matter.

12. Be prepared to loose a few friends. They will ultimatly think you are some kind of wierdo 'chicken lady' and turn their backs.