Why'd you guys start raising your own chickens?

[hugerooster]

Hey guys,

This might not be the right place to post this, but I was just wondering why you started raising your own chickens.

For me, my friend's family started raising them when we were in college, and I thought it was kind of weird. Then, when I visited him and his family a few years we graduated, I finally understood the appeal!

I'm still chicken-less at the moment, but I recently ordered 5 bantams from mypetchicken.com that will be shipped in March, and I'm really excited!

So what got you into raising chickens?

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

We initially got our chickens for the farm-fresh eggs. We heard so much good talk about farm-fresh eggs, so we decided to try it out. Then, after raising them for a while, we realized that there's so much more to them than egg producers. We found them to be cute, fun, and active.

 

[Spikes Chooks]

We had friends with chickens and they would sometimes give us eggs. The flavour was so much better than store-bought and we liked that they were organic chickens in a healthy, happy environment. When we downsized to a suburban plot with less house and more garden, we put in a vegetable patch and got four chickens. Then I learnt that they are also interesting, funny things and great companions in the garden. I have come to love them dearly, as well as their eggs. I also wanted to reduce food waste - nothing in our veggie patch or fridge is ever thrown away!

Glad to hear you are trying it for yourself. You must be very excited, waiting for them to arrive.

All the best

 

[crazyfeathers]

I wanted eggs and more pets. I adore all my chickens and can't wait to get more

 

[wsufans]

My kids had so many friends in 4-H, showing steer, sheep, goats, hogs. We don't have the kind of lot where we could have larger livestock like that and rabbits, to me, seemed kind of boring.

So, we thought, Why not Chickens?

Husband did a lot of research regarding coop specifications and designs. He basically added a lean-to onto our garden shed and we started out with four pullets (supposedly) in 2011. One was caught by a dog and one ended up being a Roo... so we ended up getting some replacements on Craigslist from a lady who'd purchased too many on Chick Day.

We've had Rhode Island Reds, a Buff Orpington, Barred Rocks, a White Rock, Ameraucanas (<--so far those have been our favorites)... also we have a couple of Silver Laced Wyandottes, Leghorns, Black Australorps, and some Australorp mixes.. not our favorites due to personality, etc.

We've lost an entire little flock to a dog in 2012 save one Rhode Island Red (showed up, shell-shocked the next day), and the following year 8 out of 15 to the neighbor dog... one of the survivors was again the same Rhode Island Red (quite the survivor).

My kids have shown and marketed hens at the county fair and have fared well both in ribbons and market value. We thoroughly have enjoyed this experiences (except for the losses) and the kids sell the eggs now, for feed $, making for some involved record books for 4-H.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[ocap]

I enjoy the crow in the morning, in fact I have way to many cockerels.

 

[BarredBuff]

I wanted to expand on our homestead. Chickens give us a great source of eggs and meat. Plus the manure, which is necessary for a great garden. They take care of bugs, and help keep the tick population in check.

Welcome to BYC and good luck with your bantams!

 

[txnative]

I got them for the fresh eggs and bug control. They have become a source of entertainment, too!

 

[DeepFriedBacon]

The first I got decided my work trailer(left the doors open) was a suitable place to hang out. No one near has chickens, couldn't figure out where it came from. So it lived in my garage for a while till I found this site, read up that 1 chicken can get quite lonely, so I bought 2 more from Craigslist. Started eating eggs a lot more, thoroughly enjoyed watching them mosey about the yard. Lost one to a raccoon(forgot to close the door one night) and ended up getting 3 more frizzle bantams, for a total of 5. Ordering more here real soon. Stupid chicken math...

 

[waynec1955]

I've raised chickens off and on all my life. Just recently returned to having chickens for fresh eggs and to give my mother (who lives with us and has alzheimer's) something to keep her busy. My wife has actually been bitten by the chicken bug this time. In the past she always left the flock to me and the kids.

Hope you enjoy your new birds.