What made you decide to get chickens?

[embkm]

I saw an article in the local paper about a chicken auction. In the article was mentioned how one teen was raising and selling chickens to help her college fund. I have 3 girls, so college is always looming. After researching, I found I probably won't be making any money off of them but the idea of a step towards self sufficiency stuck.

We just sold our 1st dozen eggs for $2, but we have bartered quite a bit last year. We've traded eggs for homegrown veggies that I didn't have in our garden. Also traded eggs for use of a tiller, plants for the flower bed, and have used eggs as payment for the neighbor who watched the animals when we went on vacation. This is all in addition to being able to have eggs whenever we want, and supply eggs to DH's family.

I was really hoping my oldest would like chickens and would want a small flock of her own, either to show or sell, but she really has no interest. This year, I will be making a few small coops so I can start a breeding pen and one for my 8yr old to start her own birds.

Plans are to also start with rabbits this year too. And if I could convince DH, I have a spot in the backyard I think would make a fine area for a pig or a few dwarf goats.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Honestly?

My daughters friend said she got some chicks in the mail...

and I thought... OH.. how cute! I want some too!!!! and so it goes

crazy huh?

 

[amarook]

I've always wished I could live on a farm.

We don't have a farm by any means, but we are in a pretty rural area now, and we have a great back yard. I figured PLENTY of room for some chickens, and maybe pygmy goats (eventually.)
Why them, eggs, meat (Maybe.) And goat milk.

 

[highcountrychickens]

...They're easier to keep than a falcon... That and early in our relationship I bought a Dutch Brown Bantam rooster from a breeder in Montana as a birthday gift (he always had them on his family farm) Turns out this was the nicest bird we have ever had - we can't seem to find another one with his wonderful temperament (although I recently stumbled happily onto Seramas) A few years later we bought my childhood home and property, and immediately bought a handful of pullets to pick around the garden... two of which turned out to be roosters. I'm SUCH a junkie.

 

[rhondapiper]

I love animals, but as I have gotten older, I haven't wanted quite so many in the house. (But I still have 1 dog and 4 cats inside!)

I don't care for the way egg laying hens are kept, and I spend a lot of money to buy brown free range eggs at the store, but even then I know I could get better eggs out of my own happier chickens. Plus, I've just wanted chickens for as long as I can remember. And ever since I saw a picture of a GLW, I was hooked.

I moved from a townhouse with a 15X15 foot backyard to a house in the woods on 2 acres, and now I can finally have chickens! They won't get here til May, and I'm worried I'll have problems or mess up, but I've been reading through this forum for weeks so I can be as well-prepared as possible.

When people ask me what one earth I want chickens for I always answer with something silly like 'So I can squeeze them!' but it's really not far from the truth- I'm hoping to have friendly affectionate birds, and if all the other critters I have worked with are any indication, I should end up with really firendly chickens!

 

[Drivegirl54]

Quote:
My dh had to talk me into getting chickens, and this was his main reasoning behind it. Now I'm like everyone else, addicted and in love with my girls.

 

[chickensioux]

I went to a feed store to pick up wild bird seed, saw baby chicks, brought two home for my young sons and I haven't been without chickens ever since and that was 12 years ago....

 

[WoodlandWoman]

When I was a young child, my school arranged for my class to go on a field trip to a confinement operation for egg layers. From a hygiene standpoint, it wasn't too bad. I'm sure it was arranged as a good will tour and they could prepare for it and schedule it at the best possible time. The hens still looked in bad condition.

I will never forget the look in those hens' eyes, the suffering in them. I was totally traumatized by that trip. I was upset for weeks and since then, I have never eaten an egg without thinking about the hen that laid it. That's why I decided to keep chickens.

I really like dogs. I like living with dogs. They enrich my world. After I lived with chickens, I found out that I feel the same way about them.

 

[walkswithdog]

When I was young my great grandmother had a flock of barred rocks. My grandfather was a farmer. Between the influence of those two I grew up and eventually moved to nine acres. Chickens happened because I have always loved home grown meat and eggs. Turkeys happened because once here, someone addicted me to them...

I like the self-sufficiency and knowing what they're fed, how they lived, how they were killed and cleaned.

We're continuing toward making a small farm, despite the fact that both our parents were city to the bone.

The rabbit was just sort of a random addition, who knew she'd free range just like the chickens, it's hilarious.

Goats, sheep and a couple of pigs on the agenda.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

me too! Eggs, meat, self sufficiency, the economy, remembering that we are not a strong people if we can not even feed ourselves. The chickens are just a first step for our house.