When did you decide to raise chickens and why?

[Larry55]

Well, it wasnt my decision to start raising them in the first place. My wife and children wanted them and I resisted for awhile. Because I knew i would be the one taking care of them. Guess what?! I wasnt wrong. However, I have decided to get more. Go figure. Lol

 

[sourland]

Chicken math - they are highly addictive.

 

[karlas chickens]

we was at the feed store and the next thing I know my hubby is telling this guy he wants 10 chicks and then he went and bought everything to make a pen for them. So Last Friday I seen the baby chicks and bought 20 more and they gave me 2 free so that is how we got 32 chickens now

 

[HoopyFrood]

As soon as we decided to start homesteading about two years ago we decided we'd raise chickens. We figured animal husbandry is part-and-parcel to homesteading and we both really like eggs. We also had chicken-sat for friends and found we became quite fond of the chickens themselves. Hilarious and endearing!

We spent over a year researching it, then took the plunge last spring and are now 10 months into the experiment. I don't regret it at all, but it has been far harder than I ever would have guessed. Caring for them in a long, Maine winter is not simple. I have since come to realize that not only is homesteading without animal husbandry possible, it's actually much simpler than homesteading WITH animal husbandry.

If you setup/scale homestead operations such that animal inputs are not required, you will have a much easier go of things than with animals. The only "indispensable" use of chickens would be a deep litter run if one wanted to compost on a large scale. But I'm experimenting in gardening/mini-farming WITHOUT a concerted effort to prepare large amounts of compost (that is one of the several techniques of natural farming).

So our girls are simply a labor of love

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

I like the idea that I have a meal laid for me everyday...and if needs be some meat that I don't have to have refrigerated. Have been chicken in the head for about 10 years now.....

 

[karlas chickens]

This is just the start of our 2nd year I have 10 one years old and 22 3 week old now .we love ever minute of it

 

[HoopyFrood]

This is just the start of our 2nd year I have 10 one years old and 22 3 week old now .we love ever minute of it

Really? Awesome! I only have 5 and sometimes they make me want to pull my hair out! I can't even imagine what 10, to say nothing of 20 or 30 would be like!

But that's the exception, not the rule. We love 'em to pieces!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Many many years ago.......

I discovered the cause of my migraines was store bought eggs.
Simple enough........ Raise my own chickens.

Course I likely don't NEEEED 30 hens. I do like them though.

 

[karlas chickens]

I love our chickens I find all kinds of reasons to have to go to the chicken barn just so I can fuss with them. All

 

[BantyChooks]

Well, it wasnt my decision to start raising them in the first place. My wife and children wanted them and I resisted for awhile. Because I knew i would be the one taking care of them. Guess what?! I wasnt wrong. However, I have decided to get more. Go figure. Lol

I decided to get chickens 4--5 years ago when my neighbour was selling out. I bought her 12 x 14 coop lock, stock and barrel and dragged it over here. Originally, I wanted the fresh eggs and figured it'd be fun to have some birds around, but it morphed into an obsession very quickly. I now have chickens for (some) meat, eggs, pets, and breeding to the Standard of Perfection. The last item is more of a personal enjoyment than for exhibition.