What Type of owner are you?

[jaylilsmom]

I am more of a duck person I have two Araucana chicks that I just acquired. My intention is to have them as egg layers but I love all of my birds they are all equally awesome and I love to just sit and watch them.

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[teria]

This is our first time raising chickens, but, it was quickly obvious that we are the "chickens are family" types with just a little practicality mixed in. We do have two meat chickens and one roo that was a surprise and all three will be butchered in about a month or so. The other 9 are future egg layers. We have named them all, even the meat chickens.

It's so much fun to watch them grow and develop such unique personalities. We know them all, and handle them frequently. Some are more aloof, especially the Leghorns, and some are more affectionate, especially the Buff Orpingtons.

I helped a mass butchering of about 200 meat chickens years ago, and know the process well, but, haven't faced killing chickens that I know and have watched grow from tiny chicks, so, I am hoping we can handle it. If not, we will probably have to find someone who will do it for us.

 

[sonjab314]

The first go round I named them all and became very attached to them all. Id even go outside and sit with them in a lawn chair and let them perch on my legs. I even had a houdan that laid an egg in my daughters lap. Thats how tame they were. Then a coon broke into my coop and killed them all. This time around, no one has names and I dont socialize them as I couldnt take the heart break again. This time though they are in a "predator proof" coop. Even has wire on the bottom of the coop to keep anything from digging under them. If all goes well, we may name them at a later date.

 

[pattyhen]

My chickens all have names and they are considered family. I spoil them as much as I can. They live out their old age with us and I could care less if they don't lay eggs. If fact and I know allot of people will disagree with me but I can not bring myself to eat one of their eggs. I boil the eggs and feed them back to the chickens and the ducks.

Patty

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Mine are definitely pets with the added benefit of eggs and they all have names, but I only have 5. And yes, they have VERY distinct personalities.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I thought I was purpose driven, if the chickens don't lay - put them in the freezer?

My grand kids have changed that perspective my coop is more a retirement home and everyone dies of natural causes. Except maybe for the occasional grand daughter attacking rooster.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Welcome to BYC!
We are a combination household here - all our animals, including those we intend to eat, are named and loved - chickens included. Some of our birds are very hands on and others are not, so that is what dictates the daily interactions with them. That said, they are there to provide food for us - as a flock of layers, this means eggs so when that need is no longer being met there will be steps taken whether that means home butchery or not remains to be seen at this time. I approach it much as we did as I was growing up - and that meant butcher and eat or sell/swap/etc. I am as far from a germ-aphobe as you can get but do practice practical bio-security with basic common sense.

 

[HenHouse10C]

This is our first year with chickens, but so far I feel they are teetering on the pet side and not just food. We have 3 broods of 3 ddifferent ages and I can tell you, I have tried my hardest to not get too attached to any of them that I know are roosters. We live in a town that doesn't allow roos so we will probably butcher any roos that we have. I try to handle and hand feed all the chicks everyday to get them used to human interaction. I can't wait for the day to come when they can all be in the coop together and I can just let them free range in the yard with me. The few that are older and not still in the brooder have names and come running when they hear the gate latch open to their run. They really are smart little things!

 

[WindyHillFarm]

My grand kids have changed that perspective my coop is more a retirement home and everyone dies of natural causes. Except maybe for the occasional grand daughter attacking rooster.

I have to agree with you on the "attack rooster" thing. I think we'd make an exception and enjoy a roo like that for dinner, stewed in white wine with mushrooms. So far we've had nothing but friendly birds, but I do remember having a couple of "bad eggs" when I was a kid!

 

[slguy]

Just for the record, I'm a "chickens are family" keeper. All have names, and I know most of them from the unique sounds each makes, and don't really need to see them to know which chicken is coming up behind me. They demand both food a hugs from me and I gladly supply both.