Why did you get your first chickens?

[BackYardChknLvr]

Well when i was a little girl i've always had horses, dogs, cats and birds never realy any other animals well wait no i also had all sorts of snakes and lizzards too.. My parents grew up on farms raising all sorts of animals i've never really been around chickens befor but my mom told me when i was younger probly the years i dont remember when we used to go visit old neighbors of there were they used to live they all had chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys and so on and i guess i used to always chase them all around to try to catch one and hold them.. but i was always scared of the Roosters.. about a year ago while i'm finaly at a old enough age not to be scared of roosters i thought Yeah right! i met somebody new by my parents house i'm 28 by the way.. found out she loved horses and so do i as i have 7 and so i found a new riding buddy last summer.. and i started hanging out with her almost all the time at her place even though it was a drive cause her and my parents all live in the countery and i live in the city part of my town... Well she has/had 2 polish roosters one was extreamly mean and loved to chase me so yeah i guess i was still scared of roosters.. but the other one was really sweet. and she had also a polish hen some EE and RIR and one absolute cute little banti with the feathery feat named Pepper.. that little banti became my little buddy and was alway in my lap when i was over there last summer.. so yes i may have horses and like 5 dogs at my parents house but my house int he city is a bit of a zoo... i own 1 dog 2 cats 1 parrot 1 waterdragon lizzard and 2 Frilly lizzards and good couple hundred or so roaches lol "food bugs".. so befor the end of the season last year i was talking to my mom about getting a chicken she was saying no no no.. dont get chickens you cant have them in the city so i started reading up that we could and the amount we could have... i jumped on craigs list and found a nice little coop for a decent price and bought that.. then started out on my hunt for chickens. my very first chicken i got was 2 black/white crest polish's then a RIR barred rock and something else i think it was a wyndal.. but she died still not sure to this day of what... but i've grown to love chickens exspecialy roosters now i have about 9 hens and 2 roosters now in the city so "shhhh" my roosters are good boys they are my babies i raised them since they were little... and to be honest i have massive dippression and social anxioty i rarely leave my house only to go to my family, work and ride my horses.. i barely go shopping cause i dont like being in crowds.. but these chickens have brought me so much joy so much joy that i want to move out of the city area one day and get a little acre or so out in the contry so i can get more.. they are such a joy to watch i spend about 2-3 hrs every day out side with all my babies each and every one of them knows there names and they all love to be couddled and loved up by me.. I think for anybody with dippression or social disorders should deffently look in to having these wounderful birds... they are so intereactive and personal with you.. I have shed my fair share of tears and heart brakes from chickens i have lost in just the year i have become a back yard chicken mama.. due to just learning and causing mistakes and having to fix my own mistakes.. but truely i have never been happier then i am now and i just wish for them to grow even more.. by the way the eggs i get that are not fertal cause my roo's are not old enough yet they only 4 months old i dont even eat my eggs never care to eat them either.. i just want chickens and lots and lots and lots more of them ...

 

[Gatorbob26]

Does anyone have experience with porters turkeys?

 

[citychick9]

I got my chicks at the ace hardware just three days ago! they only have 4 types - buff oringtons, new hampshire reds, aruconas and silver laced wydottes

 

[Little Peep]

Well we were eating at hardens hamburgers last summer in 2012 and when we were finished we had to go to Atwood's we herd peeping me and my sister ran to the far end of the store. their were 12 big Metal tubs with Lights we knew what this meant. we looked at each other and ran to the tubs. I Went to one that had lots of half grown one I smiled then my Father walked up behind me we'll get These they'll start laying right away. so I got a box and Picked five of them out. there were some RIR and some buff opinions and Red hens. when we got home my Mother saw them she said if we were going to get some we should at least get some WE like she said. then we went BACK to Atwood's and looked Mom picked out some chicks (Well more like I picked out some chicks and she approved LOL!) anyway she did pick out four and I picked out some and there were Bantams and RIR and that's last year Mom hates to think of what come THIS March.

and that's how we started getting chickens but it isn't the first time!( Sadly the two Buff opinions both got killed and there names were Mini,Molly

)

 

[BBs Yard]

We got our first chicks at 2 wks old as a family project and for the eggs. Can't wait for the eggs.

 

[PekinBantam]

I've always loved chickens, but where I was raised we weren't aloud to have them. When we moved to the Philippines, we were aloud to have any farm animal we wanted. I got two chicks for Christmas, I thought they were both hens... But I was wrong! One morning, we heard a scratch, hoarse scream coming from outside, it was one of our 'laying hens' making his first crow... From then on, chicken math took over. Now that some time has past, we have lost our first two to sickness and thievery, but they have left something in return... 40 something chickens!

 

[chicken peace]

I am abiut to get my first chicken in class. We are doing lifecycles of frogs, fish, and of couse chickens. they are soooooo cute!!!!!!!!

 

[chicken peace]

Who that is one smart chick LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[chicken peace]

Oh my eggs are allmost hached one more week

 

[Jotaylor]

My brother's room mates had a young white hen that was given to her, and they were moving where the couldn't take her with them so they offered it to us (being we have 2 young girls). My husband said of course we want her (I was thinking "oh my gosh can I really take care of a chicken?"). When we got her she was so cool and friendly, a few weeks later we got 2 more from the feed store. They were older but have since turned out to be just as cool as our first bird. Another few weeks later someone offered us 15! We couldn't keep them all but my hubby went and got them and we picked out 4 more. He gave the rest to his co-workers, 2 of them were roosters. So the eggs that were coming from the 4 new birds were fertile, I decided to try my hand at incubation. I took the first 5 and set up my crude and very inadequate incubator made of a styrofoam minnow cooler. Here I am at 20 days and the last I checked we had 3 eggs that should hatch starting anytime after today! So excited I hope they hatch and we have 10 birds! I like a good even number We love our chickens and wish we could have a flock of bantam hens and roosters but rooster are out of the question where we live now! Loving our back yard chickens!