Why do you guys choose to have backyard chickens?

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

I'll also suggest another book for you--the pictures alone may convince you that you need to add chickens to your backyard:
http://www.amazon.com/Free-Range-Ch...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328280983&sr=1-1

I just ordered that book, GardenState! Looks very interesting!

 

[r4eboxer]

Because I choose NOT to be a part of this.

http://liberationbc.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/battery_cage_01.jpg

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

 

[123ChickieLou]

I haven't read everything but wanted to go ahead and offer my .02.

I have chickens because I love them. My grandparents raised pigeons when I was young and I loved them. I came across a few people with chickens over the years and was always envious. I've always wanted a few ducks, goats, horses and chickens. I put it all aside because I've never lived anywhere that I can keep them; or so I thought. Once I learned that it was possible to have chickens where I live, it was all over with!

People spend a heck of a lot on dogs too. Dogs don't give you eggs, meat, or milk. To me they're useless and bothersome. They smell bad (inside or out, they have this certain stink), they slobber, beg for food, pee on your floor, hump your and your guests' legs, the list goes on and on...... Yet millions of people dump all kinds of money into them to keep them healthy and cared for, even clothed. It's ridiculous. But people that love dogs don't see any of that as bothersome. The pleasure they get from owning a dog overrides any smells or bad behavior coming from the dog.

I hope that offers you a little perspective on why people are willing to invest with little return and never really break even.

It's for the joy of it. That's the common factor here. I obviously do not find joy in dogs so I don't have any. My parents did when I was growing up and they let those two beasts destroy a couple of houses, and the family (because of their destructive natures and the parent's unwillingness to do anything about it), they were so gross that we couldn't even have company over as teenagers. To this day I almost detest dogs; I've tried a couple on for size but just ended up irritated with them. Cats are my thing. I'd pay the $800 a big beautiful Bengal would cost me and gladly pay any expenses in keeping it healthy; because I love cats, they bring me joy.

I love having chickens, they bring me joy. They give me something to do that doesn't require a whole lot of effort.

Activia, I would not advise you to get chickens. You sound too much like me about dogs. You read it; now would you advise me to get a dog and learn to like it? I don't think chickens are going to be your thing. And that's ok! It's not for everyone. I say this without having read the entire thread so I'll go do that now.

 

[SueBaby]

I am a science teacher, so I've loved the idea of having chickens as an experience for our family. It's been absolutely fantastic. They are the best pets we've ever had and are NOT a lot of work (we have 7). Many of the "chores" are a delight, because the girls are so fun to be with. My middle son has to be called out of the coop/run many days because he's in there feeding and hanging out with them. We fight over who gets to check for eggs, and after 6 months of egg collecting it has NOT gotten old at all! We only plan to clean the run once a year, and the poop that builds up in the coop (under their roosts) is a 5 minutes chore once a week to fix. My kids and I take turns. About the only negative I'm experiencing is that I have a lot of wood mulch around my plants and the chickens dig and spread the mulch all over. So someone has to rake the mulch off the pathways and grass once and a while.

I have a high interest in being self-sufficient. I live in the 'burbs and can't make it totally off the grid, but I love having chickens and knowing that they eat my scraps, bugs and weeds and then give me fertilizer in return. As the days lengthen I will start to sell some eggs to friends, but I don't know when I'll get to break even, especially when I think about what my husband spent to build the coop. But that is SO at the bottom of my list. I do like knowing that little by little as more of us start raising our own chickens/eggs that fewer chickens will be needed in the factory farm environment. I have this fantasy that some day we'll get back to sustainable agriculture in this country. I like to see myself contributing to that.

I have only been a chicken farmer for 10 months, but I haven't had to worry about any diseases or chicken calamities yet. You see of lot of talk about that on BYC because people with a problem come looking for help, for good reason. There are so many more healthy chickens and flocks out there that you don't hear about simply because that is the status quo and not very exciting/interesting. Activia, from what I've read in your posts it seems like you would enjoy the chicken life. If you're worried you won't like it, start small and cheap.

Good luck!

 

[activia]

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with dogs!! My dog does not exhibit any of these behaviors because she was properly trained from the day I got her at 8 weeks old.I did a lot of reading and learned the best ways to teach dogs to behave properly in the home. Of course there are some behaviors that are a little more challenging for us but nothing like humping or peeing on the floor!! Actually every behavior that you described is extremely preventable if you know how to care/train dogs properly. She hasn't had a potty accident since her 5th and final one at 3 months old. She gets a little over zealous in protecting the property and feels the need to let our neighbors know she is outside by barking around the permimeter (this is a new behavior that I'm working on training out of her) There is nothing like going for an off-leash hike with my dog, or playing "agility" in the yard with her She also gives us so much love everyday! She is a sweet dog!

Just because I love dogs doesnt mean I'm going to hate chickens. I am purely just not knowledgable about them at all, I've never really even seen a chicken farm except for at the larger farms. I only hear what other people say about them.. the noise/the smell/and taring up of the lawn. Plus the expense. So yes I think starting with a couple chickens and a small coop would be best. I'm looking on craigslist. But I'm still figuring out some logistics in terms of where their "run" is going to be as I dont think I want them running around the whole yard taring up the grass.

I would love to be a good farmer, and not part of the system and be able to control everything that my chickens eat. I am working on being a better organic vegetable farmer. I just run into challenges.. I seem to hate weeding. I love nature and I want to "get back to basics" but I also dont want to take on "more then I can chew". I still want to be able to spend quality time with my husband, other animals, do my workouts, all the cooking, work full time and raise a family at some point. It seems that chicken farming is a lot less work then vegetable farming tho..hahaha so from these posts I think I can handle it time wise and they do seem kinda cool. I think I would love them! Actually I think that would be a problem.. as I'd like to enjoy them in the "pot" one day but dont know if I could ever get myself to do that.

I was hoping that it would save me some money on some of the food that I buy for us though. But now I understand... and all those reasons are great reasons to have them!

I just need more experience, more knowledge...once I get into the groove of doing proper gardening, chicken raising I should be good... Training the dog will be a good dog training challenge haha! I do love training her...

I want nothing to do with the industrialized food system. I eat very little food that is a product of it.. maybe some veggies here and there and a grapefruit or two, and some olive oil. No packaged foods, CAFO meat, or CAFO eggs. Mostly organic veggies/fruit.

OK Verdict is in. I'm off to hit the books this weekend at the library.

 

[dainerra]

being a GSD, training her should be a snap. That doesn't mean, though, that she might be able to stay unattended outside with the birds. Sometimes the little buggers are just too tempting. But a good "leave it" command and a solid recall will mean that she can live happily with the birds.

 

[activia]

being a GSD, training her should be a snap. That doesn't mean, though, that she might be able to stay unattended outside with the birds. Sometimes the little buggers are just too tempting. But a good "leave it" command and a solid recall will mean that she can live happily with the birds.

Awww that is soo cute! She has that expression as well... Her leave it is unbelievable. I can stop her from eating a hunk of meat with that or biting a cat. Her recall under extreme distraction needs work! I am working on that anyways. This would be a great opportunity to strengthen that as it would be a scenario we could work with often. I was not planning on leaving her alone with them unless her dog fence was between them and her.

 

[activia]

I should say "unattended". She is never left outside "alone", only outside unattended when we are home.

 

[fayeoli]

You must get chickens they are wonderful, I love mine. I got them last summer as a birthday present, the coop doesn't need to be huge as they only sleep in it, and lay eggs in the 2 egg boxes.( I have 3 large Orpingtons and 2 small Polish). The Polish roost on the perch and the Orps cuddle up together, plenty of room. In the morning they pop out into the run and squark until I let them out into the garden. They follow me into the shed for their food then run to the bottom of the garden for a rummage around, flicking leaves, soil, bedding etc everywhere. They then sit at my patio door watching what I'm up to and peck at the window, and poop all over the step. I always thank them when I get an egg. It's been below freezing so I made them some warm porridge oats, yum, and they love dried mealworm. I reckon, the eggs they lay pay for their food. They are less tying than a dog. Best birthday present I've ever had, just go for it.