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

[PotatoWaffles]

My SO and I keep them mostly for eggs, but sometimes for meat. We have a system. We raise chicks every year. The female birds that tame up and become friendly get named and kept for eggs and become lifers even after they stop laying. The birds that are males or don't tame up don't get names and become chicken soup I wouldn't mind keeping a rooster if we could raise just one that doesn't try to kill us.

 

[Acre4Me]

1. Experience (we've never had them and are currently on week 5 of raising 17 chicks) - always good to try something new.
2. Child (11yo was interested and caring for animals is a good experience to have)
3. We can (recently moved out of city limits to a small lot and no restrictions of any kind for animals)
4. Eggs (6 breeds should get white, brown, and EE colors - time will tell)

 

[EggMan207]

Eggs and tick control... I might start breeding and selling

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

What a great topic.
I keep my chickens for pets with the added benefit of fresh eggs. I like to think of my chickens as pets with benefits.
Wendy my Easter Egger hen

And Albastru and Isabella the Black Ameraucana pullets

 

[m1chelle1]

Pets and egg production. We sel lmk the eggs. Our peafowl pay for their feed by the sale of their feathers. If they ever have offspring we will sell those. We don't eat anyone we know personally.

Love your Chief Seattle quote

 

[lilapot]

I keep them for pets. They are SO entertaining!! The eggs are sort of a bundle into the bargain.

 

[Lbernie7]

It'll be interested to see what other members keep them for :

My husband and I fell in love with a duck he has at work, and we kind of just spiraled out of control from there lol. We have four ducklings, for pets/eggs, and 10 chicks for pets/eggs, unless we wind up with too many roosters and then in a few months we'll have meat in the freezer and the rest will be for pets/eggs.

 

[PotatoWaffles]

My husband and I fell in love with a duck he has at work, and we kind of just spiraled out of control from there lol. We have four ducklings, for pets/eggs, and 10 chicks for pets/eggs, unless we wind up with too many roosters and then in a few months we'll have meat in the freezer and the rest will be for pets/eggs.

Ducks got me started too. Four years ago, my SO's aunt was getting rid of her two ducks, and I had always wanted a duck. So we took them and I named them Potato and Waffles. Then I discovered mail order ducklings, and since I got my ducklings, it was only fair he got the chickens he's always wanted, right? We've since given our ducks to our in-laws to live on their pond, but still have our chickens, and can't help getting more and more, lol.

 

[Lbernie7]

Ducks got me started too. Four years ago, my SO's aunt was getting rid of her two ducks, and I had always wanted a duck. So we took them and I named them Potato and Waffles. Then I discovered mail order ducklings, and since I got my ducklings, it was only fair he got the chickens he's always wanted, right? We've since given our ducks to our in-laws to live on their pond, but still have our chickens, and can't help getting more and more, lol.

Roflol that’s awesome!!!!!

 

[MarcieR]

We started with chickens just a year ago for the eggs and meat (not sure that will happen) but the benefits have multiplied! They did a great job cleaning up the garden this fall and also disposed of our garden fails. We had a crop of corn that did not taste good and got too old due to the mud that prevented us from picking at the right time. So instead of throwing it in the compost, we froze the corn on the cob and doled it out as treats all summer. Then there is the fertilizer. Also, they force me to get up, get dressed and leave the house which gives me some exercise even on bad days. The new chicks help with that too since they are in the basement and I have to check on them several times a day, right? Entertainment? Absolutely! Looking forward to getting their new coop built and watching them enjoy their much bigger chicken yard.