What made you start keeping chickens?

[cindyschicks]

Last November for my birthday, after a really hard year together, my husband indulged me with a trip to the local poultry auction, just to "see" if they had any "fancy" chickens. We left with 2 silkies, 4 OEGB silver duckwings (2 roos/2hens), a RIR, a Dominique and 20 quail.

Now I have 34 chickens, 13 roos, 24 chicks, 6 ducks, eggs in the bator and two white peafowl on the way. Hooked, no I would say hanged! Love them and very happy my rental farm had a super huge chicken coop!

 

[ntiveheart]

when the "sucker" sign that's embedded in my forehead started flashing rapidly on and off......i simply had no choice. it was buy chickens (and ducks and turkeys and quail and rabbits and geese) or have my brain short out *shrugs*

 

[WriterofWords]

Eight baby chicks left on my doorstep.

 

[lilbabychickens:)]

I was halfway forced to join my school's poultry judging team by my guy friend who knows poultry really well. He taught me, and I got 4th in the state, he got 12th! Then, almost 2 yrs later, I asked for 25 chicks as a graduation gift. My guy friend picked them out, and the rest is history. I got 6 white rocks, 2 cornishs, 2 partridge rocks, a dominique, a blue jersey giant, 6 buff orps, 2 columbian wyandottes, 2 delawares, and 3 barred rocks. I raised them at my school, and taught the kids skills too. Now, they are at home and sit on my shoulders while i do farm chores.

 

[Cocotte]

I thought to myself, "gee, with this nice half acre lot it sure would be neat to have some chickens in the yard!" I'd been thinking about it off and on for a few years, but not too seriously because my husband thought it was nuts, but then a few months ago I was reading a Martha Stewart magazine and there was a blurb about keeping chickens and quote from someone or other at McMurray hatchery, so I looked up that and other hatcheries and was like OMG I could order chickens in the mail?! And look at all the pretty ones!! And different coloured eggs too!! And Then I found This place, and that was it! Started seriously researching coops and chicken stuff, talked my hubby into it, and now I've got 2 ee chicks and will be getting some ameraucanas tomorrow

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Quote:
Well said and so true.

 

[fishfarmer]

Quote:
Well said! I like to know where my food is coming from and how it's raised.

 

[St-Hubert]

My wife. It's all her fault! No, really. Just because I love the heck out of them and spend most of my spare time with them doesn't mean anything!

 

[Rick494]

Was talking gardening with a friend, when he mentioned getting chickens if his wife would let him. I asked him about the city rules, which he answered we could have up to 10 hens. After thinking about it, I started researching (confirming that yes we can have hens), care, breeds, where to get them, join BackYardChickens Forum, etc. Figured they would be easier to raise than the tomatoes I attempt every year.

I mentioned it to my wife a few times, until she basically said, "whatever." I took that as permission.

Now I have 6 RIR chicks that are 3 weeks old, and my friend is coming over to help build the coop. He still doesn't have any chickens.

 

[gameboygal12]

I know this sounds silly, but the movie "Chicken Run" made us want to get chickens!