Topic of the Week - What is the purpose of your flock?

[Newseramabreeder]

Mine are Seramas,pheasants, and quail
The Seramas will be eventually for show, my quail are for eggs and ornamental, my pheasants are for meat and ornamental

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

Eggs and pets...
Gosh I love them lol!
They are so fun to watch. The 19 I have now are all for laying. We had some meat birds that, well, went towards meat lol...

If I get more, they will be for meat...but I plan to keep my layers for a good few yrs...so as of now...I have my flock for the purpose of eggs and entertainment lol

 

[DaisyBuff]

Pets! And eggs.

 

[DaisyBuff]

Pets! And eggs.

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We all keep chickens for our reasons, whether it's eggs, exhibition, or just pets with benefits. This week, out of curiosity, I'd like to hear what your flock's main purpose is for you? I.e. why do you keep chickens?

Egg-laying?
Exhibition?
Dual purpose (meat and eggs)?
Lawn ornaments/pets?
Other?

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For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

 

[drmolarmagic]

I keep mine for eggs, pets and performance, I'm a professional magician and I've trained both my Silkies to select things in the act, a poker chip or playing card. So the Silkies work on stage with me!

 

[Beaker99]

Eggs

 

[Silkiesaz]

My main flock is used for eggs. My silkies and ducks are pets.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

They started off as pets with benefits, the benefits being the eggs they lay. I suppose that's what they still are, but I've more recently set out to breed some of them for the preservation of a variety I've come to adore and had been afraid might be dying out, my silkied Cochin bantams. Now that I have my hands on them, I'm determined to make sure that they don't disappear into obscurity. I also enjoy studying chicken genetics and breeding them is the ultimate demonstration of how those genetics function, so I guess pets to breeders was a natural progression for me. I do still consider them pets, although that complicates things a bit because when they're too old to produce healthy offspring the individuals will have to be replaced in the interest of progressing with preserving them. I still have my big, mixed flock of random breeds for fun, though.

 

[Antiocheggers]

Every animal on our farm has a "job" to do, or they don't live here. Cows give us steaks and hamburger. Goats keep weeds under control. Pigs till and fertilize a garden space, and give us bacon and pork chops. Dogs keep predators away, bark like hell when something's wrong in one of the animal pens, and alert us when visitors arrive. Cats keep the mice at bay and us entertained. Everybody pays their room-and-board.

The chickens give us eggs, of course, as well as fried chicken and barbeque. We raise all of our own - no particular breeds anymore, they're all mutts. And that's fine. We started with a variety of dual-purpose breeds, and it's gone from there. We let the pullets become hens, and the cockerels become dinner. Hens give us eggs, and roosters provide security and fertile eggs for hatching. Occasionally, someone gives us a bunch of rescue chickens, so that keeps inbreeding at a minimum. No foo-foo fancy delicate breeds, here. They work, or they get eaten.

That is a great story every one has a job or they get eaten

 

[Antiocheggers]

What is the purpose of our Flock? I don't have a clue but must of been for fresh eggs. but now that I have them it's because they are so cool, photogenic, loving its been come more then just eggs. I don't have pure breed I have mutts and that's OK.