why did you get into chickens?

[paganfish]

Kewl! I love hearing all these stories!!! Here's mine! Kind of long...LOL!

I grew up in Mexico and was raised by my maternal grandmother. She always had chickens (she loved bantams according to my mom) and it was just a normal thing to me...to see chickens running around the yard. It was not a farm...just a very poor part of town in Mexico.

My grandmother died when I was 6 or 7 and I cannot to this day, remember her face. This has been a source of pain and shame to me. Pain because since she reared me from birth...I *should* remember the face of the first to show me love. Shame because...it is such a disservice to all that love that I don't remember her face.

Fast forward...30 some odd years later.

I now live in an old farm house with 35 acres of land at my disposal and I thought I would get chickens. At first I got Red Stars since they laid brown eggs, were hardy in Winter and can live just about anywhere- which is what they would be in at the time. (I've since pampered them...isn't that how it goes?)

So, I got 15 brooder chicks about a year and half ago. Later...some lady nearby was selling her flock and she had some bantys as well. Remembering what my mom said (about my grandma) I bought 15 of the bantams, and some other breeds she had...to add to my flock. Everyone has gotten along wonderfully!!!

I was out in the property one day watching over them-in case the hawk showed up-when all of sudden an image of my grandmother came to me. It was subtle but - I think I saw her face! It was a fuzzy image but it was there. Suddenly, and without knowing...I started to cry! I couldn't help it!

Now, I keep sitting out there...with my chickens. Maybe, I'll remember my grandmother some day? I don't know...but for now, I'll try to keep the hawks at bay! (It was MORE than therapy sessions had done for me ...raising chickens...that's for sure!)

Geesh! How sad, huh? Sorry...

A serendipitous event took place though...the big chickens I got (RS) will NOT sit on eggs and I really wanted chicks! After I got the bantys I read that they are GOOD mothers. WOW! I hoped...now, 6 lil' guys later...it's true! They are good mothers!

Pedro ~c:->

PS Oh yes...and I got them for fresh eggs...and later, meat. Much, much later.

 

[hencackle]

The main reasons I got chickens are:
1) want eggs from ethically raised hens;
2) I appreciate the beauty of chickens (yard art!);
3) poop for the garden;
4 it keeps the alive the memories of my grandmothers and many other special family members.

My parents & I lived with my maternal grandmother until I was about 7. She had chickens and parakeets and always fed the wild birds so the love of birds was our special bond.

What I didn't expect? The number of people that believe a rooster is necessary for hen to lay eggs or think chickens are stupid.

 

[paganfish]

Quote:

me too!

 

[lacyloo]

I got in to chickens 3 years ago because I had to go to tsc for rabbit feed and I saw the duck omg I fell in love so I decided to get 2 chickens and 3 ducks since then i have grown to 7 ducks 40 somin chickens,2 turkeys,a guinea and i keep adding to my total lol

 

[Henrietta23]

For me it was visiting a new friend who had about a dozen of various breeds wandering around her yard. I couldn't stop thinking about them. I'd had fresh eggs before and knew how much better they tasted, etc. Then I stopped at a local farm stand that sold eggs and found that someone was advertizing their extra red sex links. I bought two, Rosy and Ruby. They were wonderful and I was hooked. Mostly they're like my aquarioum, beautiful and peaceful (most of the time) and entertaining.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

We got started in chickens because of the freebe that came with a batch of meat birds my girlfriend had ordered. My daughter helped her get everything set up for my friends first time birds. I told her that McMurray sends out a freebe with their birds. Since she was only doing meat birds and had only a temp. place to keep them, she needed to tell McMurray not to send the freebe. Well needless to say when the meat birds came, there was this little black baby in with them. When I saw it, I asked her what was she planning on doing with it, her reply was she was going to give it to my daughter for being so kind in helping her get everything set up.

My daughter was present when she said this and was so happy.
When the meat birds were ready to go to the butcher, we picked up the little bird, took it home and used the playhouse that the kids weren't using anymore and made it a home. This was our first experience with fancy birds and had no clue what breed or sex it was. This was long before backyard chickens came about. I told my daughter the minute it started crowing it was history. Three months later my daughter came running into the house and said look mom my rooster laid an egg. That little black bird turned out to be a silver laced wyandotte hen named Rini. That was ten years ago and the flock has grown considerbly. We have learned so much from one little bird we knew nothing about.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

I didn't like the way chickens (or any other animal) were treated just for mass production & I don't like the chemical and antibiotics in most food!

So I finally moved to an area were I could have chickens

I only wanted 6! it became a home-school project then the kids wanted there own chickens!

We have over 20 & more comming!

They are the best pets I have ever had ((& I have had many)) and they give me eggs too

I never thought I would become so attached & yes all have names!

 

[rosyposyosy]

They were just so cute at the feedstore!!

 

[redwa]

I grew up with horses and other animals and they really had a wonderful impact on my life. I wanted the same for my kids but we are not able to do the horse scene. Many of our neighbors have chickens and my husband and I thought chickens would be a great family experience. We hatched them in our kitchen, built the coop and have been enjoying them for over a year now. It gives me such pleasure watching them, caring for them and watching my kids interact and learn from them. They often come into the house and hang out and enjoy "helping" in the garden. I had no idea they were so entertaining, interesting and smart (some more than others). The biggest surprise is how excited we all get EVERY TIME we collect eggs. We never get bored with this and it always feels somehow like a gift.

 

[McGoo]

Thanks for your posting. It is so nice to find out how each of us have become such lovers of chooks.

The unlikely beginning to my love of chickens was through reading a couple of books which highlighted the cruel treatment of animals, including caged hens. I was so deeply impacted that I decided to stop eating any food from CAFOs - including eggs, and will only eat eggs (or meat) from local farmers that I know.

So I was happily buying my eggs from a local farmer and just by chance she asked if I was interested in a few chickens from a school program, since she was getting more then she could handle. I said yes without the slightest hesitation.

Then a little yikes grew in the back of my mind

....what about my zoning. I live in Westchester County NY... I'm really tucked back in the woods, but most people have a lawn to mow and that's it. Well, my zoning stated:4 chickens per 1/4 acre -whew!

I've got a couple of acres.

So not to bite off more than I could chew, I took 4, 3 hens and a roo.

We converted the 'never-used' doghouse (except by Floyd the cat) and made it into a coop.

Gertrude, Gladys, Loretta and Mr. Ed - they each have their own special name sake; I love them dearly; they entertain me; they calm me down and let me see how simple life can be if I let it. Bless them one and all.

It's funny that two of you have mentioned a link to your maternal grandmothers.... I too, had a maternal grandma that I connected with. She died when i was 8. She was a gentle, fun-loving, hard working farmer's wife. While sitting with my chickens I picture her with hers and feel connected.

Thank you for reading my story.