why do you keep chickens?

[abaker1115]

I bought my chickens for the eggs, but quickly (within seconds) fell head over heals in love with each of them.

 

[MotherHen1307]

I haven't gotten around to selling eggs. I just give them away to people at church who aren't fortunate enough to have fresh eggs every day. The kids at church love my Bantam eggs, they call them dipping eggs.

I'm getting 8 eggs a day, I have one girl I work with who would like 2 18 packs every monday!! then I have 2 other girls I work with that usually get a doz every week... plus anyone who stops by my house, and they usually get 2 doz at a time....i just cant keep up lol

I love my Chicks and I am so please I decided to get them!

 

[lcwmt]

Ours have 3 jobs: eat bugs, produce manure and eventually lay eggs. When they age out of laying, they will still be good at the other 2 tasks. We will not butcher, nor will we send them to the chicken rescue. They are great fun. At 12 weeks they have an expanded coop plus a mobile run that docks to the coop. They get out occasionally but stick close to the run. It would be nice to let them free range when they are a little older, bigger and I'm confident of the 2 dogs and the cat.

 

[Abriana]

A lot of people here don't want to butcher hens when they get old. I agree with that! If you butcher them i personally think it is like saying, "you were only good for eggs," but chickens make great pet and companions and eggs are just a bonus. I mean, if you raise meat birds, thats okay because thats their purpose. No offense to any meat bird producers out there!

 

[oldhen2345]

Mine are pets- wonderful stress relief. Eggs are a bonus.

 

[Abriana]

Is the hen in your avatar wearing a skirt?
Yes, good for stress relief.

 

[lcwmt]

A lot of people here don't want to butcher hens when they get old. I agree with that! If you butcher them i personally think it is like saying, "you were only good for eggs," but chickens make great pet and companions and eggs are just a bonus. I mean, if you raise meat birds, thats okay because thats their purpose. No offense to any meat bird producers out there!

I have no problem with folks raising meat birds either. Out household is primarily vegetarian.

 

[Abriana]

Love pork and lamb, but any other meat, especially chicken, I eat very rarely.

 

[sassysarah]

Pets, and it's nice to get fresh eggs also.

 

[Melodychick]

When I decided to get chickens it was for the eggs, but it didn't take long to fall in love! I started with the idea of 3, but got 6 and now have 12 and just expanded the coop so I can get a few more. So I guess I'm in the pets with benefits group!