Why did you start raising chicken?

[Bearing1]

I would be interested in peoples stories of why they started
For myself I was going to raise chickens for meat and eggs.
After getting them the meat part went out the door it never will happen here so then it was then only for eggs.
I joined BYC right away, actually before getting the chickens and thought these people are a bit nuts calling them pets and saying they have personalities etc.
After getting them they were so cute as day old chicks and now raising them for almost 5 months they do have personalities and most certainly are pets I have 25 and quite a few of them have their own way of doing things and they all seem to act quite different from one another.
I thought I would enjoy the chickens, but I really enjoy it every day more than I would have imagined something interesting will happen with them each day.
Bearing1

 

[woodmort]

I actually started the first time in Jr. HS, for the full story, see my BYC page. Right now though, they are primarily eggs and something to keep me busy.

 

[Mahonri]

I grew up on a farm. I loved being raised on a farm. I always hoped that someday, somehow I would be able to raise at least a couple of my kids on a farm.

It's never going to happen. I own 7.75 acres of farmland that I helped to farm as a kid, but I'll never be able to move there unless I was stupid, bought a lottery ticket and actually won.

I found a nice home up near Squaw Peak, I put an offer on it and my wife wouldn't let me follow through... I thought, at least I'll be close to the nature preserve where I can hike whenever I like. Well when she said no, I bought a tough shed for feed and had a friend build me a coop.

My kids have the wonderful opportunity of sweeping and mopping my coop every Saturday! They help me worm and vaccinate and feed and eat eggs etc.., etc... etc...

My son who is in Hungary on a service mission was telling me how he was helping a farmer north of Sekezfehervar and how the knowledge he learned at home taking weeds out of our backyard garden was a blessing to him.

... mission accomplished.... and it continues with the younger siblings.

 

[Bearing1]

Dave
I just looked at your BYC page, very interesting. thanks for the reply and so fast.

 

[dawg53]

I actually had chickens many many years ago but had to give them away due to my military service. Five years ago I decided to take it up as a hobby and I'm glad I got back into raising chickens. Now that I get to spend more time with them, I've discovered that each one has their own unique personalities and quirks...just like you discovered. That led me to getting more chicks and raising them. To say they are addictive is an understatement, the next thing you know I was up to 20 chickens! I had to cut back because it got to be too much work for me as I have a disabled wife to take care of as well. I'm down to a managable dozen chickens and my small flock is anywhere from 2-5 years old and we love those fresh eggs!

 

[gryeyes]

I moved here about 3 years ago, due to a promotion. Found a great rental, on the same acre as my land-lady, who allowed my dogs and cats. I was just over the half-century mark, and most of those years were spent as a couch potato when I wasn't at work. Never worked regular hours until I got that promotion, always worked shifts. Now I have evenings, weekends and holiday off. Can't cook and don't want to; if it can't be prepared in a microwave oven or crock pot, I ain't making it. Closest neighbor has a really nice pool with a stone waterfall. I lusted after that a great deal, especially since I was not (am still not) used to the hot spring, summer and autumns here. Got a kiddie pool, sat in it a lot.

Built a goldfish pond, then a second one. Put together some raised garden beds. Grew some tomatoes and cucumbers and some other things I can eat raw. Added some artichoke plants because I know how to prepare those in a microwave oven.

Hmmm. Wouldn't chickens be a great way to get free fertilizer? And control some bugs and stuff? Oh, yah, and they lay eggs, that would be very nifty. Land-lady said I could keep a few chickens. Built a coop. It was October 2009 when I was ready to get chicks, but the closest feed store stopped selling 'em in August. Considered ordering 'em online..... but somebody at work suggested I do a 'net search for other feed stores, 'cause there are a lot of 'em in this part of the state.

And one did have chicks. So I bought four. I was lucky enough to have found what I consider to be the BEST feed store in this area, too. One chick died of "failure to thrive" so I bought four more. All were different breeds, because I was positive I wouldn't be able to tell 'em apart if they were all one breed of, say, RIRs. I also knew I'd name 'em, because that's what I do. If I couldn't tell 'em apart, it would be like "Good morning, Rhoda.... Hi, Rhoda! How you doing, Rhoda? Mornin', Rhoda!"

And thus the addiction began. Chickens have individual personalities, did you know that? I didn't. I do now.

I'm glad I have such a varied flock, but not because I wouldn't be able to tell 'em apart - because I can, actually. Surprisingly. But I still like having lots of different breeds.

And my physician has lowered my BP meds since I have had chickens for almost a year now. I am no longer a couch potato, and I achieve such a sense of calm enjoyment watching and caring for my chickens. Eggs are a bonus.

 

[SanClementeChick]

I read a book "Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance", sorry I can't remember the Authors name. It is a very funny and charming book by a man in England about his experiences raising chickens in his backyard. I had never ever thought about owning a chicken until I read that book. He is a very funny writer and his birds were full of personality. That got me interested, I researched it and found this web site in the process. It took me 2 years to convince my husband to let me get chicks to raise. He is now crazy for "his girls" as he calls them. We live in a typical So California suburb where we keep them illegally. Our neighbors are all great and they love to come over and visit them, and we share our eggs. Our coop is a childrens playhouse which is approved by our homeowners association. They just don't know our children have feathers!
I highly recommend the book whether your a chicken lover or not.
SanClementeChick

 

[Bearing1]

gryeyes
Good story I like the fact about BP going down. (unless it stands for BP stock going down)I'll start tracking mine and see if it helps.
That's what great about BYC we name our chickens and can tell them apart no matter what anyone says. they are our friends, even when pecking us.

 

[hallerlake]

Last spring, my 22 year old son fell in love with some fuzzy, little chicks. He bought six. That was the feed store's minimum purchase. At that time, Seattle only allowed three, so I said I would take the extras off his hands. I found a tractor on Craig's list. My lot is bigger than my son's. I could have more chickens than he could. I looked on Craig's list again, and found a FBCM chick and an EE chick about the same age as my son's birds. I ended up getting only two from him, because one of his turned out to be a rooster. I hope to get a bigger coop next spring, and more chickens.

 

[Bearing1]

SanClementeChick
Great, I just ordered the book from Amazon (used ) for $6.47 shipped I'll let you know what I think of the book soon as I read it, by the way the author is Martin Gurdon
Bearing1 from Tomball,Tx