Official BYC Poll - Which aspect of keeping chickens do you enjoy the most?

[pam s]

I got them cause they were cute and I thought it would be fun. They are Great, Relaxing and Theraputic as someone already mentioned.
Collecting eggs feels like opening a Christmas present when I was little! This summer I had coffee with them every morning before work.
I love it!!

 

[MayHens]

We bought a house with hen house in the garden and had a great romantic view of having chickens wondering around the place, and we have not been disappointed. My five girls are amazing, and are my favorite waste of time. I talk to them and they answer back, each one has their own little personality, they are just perfect little ladies to keep me company in the garden

 

[Yowza Wowza]

I love my chickens for their companion ship. My RIR hen is everything to me she's like a little baby to me!

 

[MsPoultry]

I just keep chickens for companionship but I also love breeding and hatching these beautiful creatures

 

[2boys1homestead]

Haha, the poll adds up to 167% right now....

 

[nkeaton]

I love the way they all run to the gate when they see me coming to let them out to free range. What fun to watch them flit about the yard then make a mad dash for the coop when it starts getting dark...they are just funny and who doesn't like a good laugh everyday?!?!

 

[PoultryArk]

I like observing them. I am the Jane Goodall of chickens!

 

[chicknmania]

They make me happy. They are always glad to see me (except when I am carrying whatever that they perceive might be a net)...and I enjoy watching them interacting with each other. There's lot of other reasons, but that's the main one. When they hatch, it is so entertaining to see how they develop with their colors and personalities...every one is different.

 

[Myhouseisazoo2]

I like mine for a few reasons, I like fresh eggs. They're gorgeous to look at (kind of zenish and relaxing) come in all different colors and sizes... I like to hold and pet them and I like to collect their feathers for projects but I'm also raising for meat. I like knowing how they are raise and culled; I like knowing that they only ever have one bad day.

 

[Chikenbutwut]

I couldn't really pick just one, so I said other. I love their companionship, though I worked with them as babies, I only have a couple that will come to me seeking attention. None of my hens are mean, some just don't want to be picked up (though they'll settle once you get them positioned right in your arms) and most run from me unless I have food, lol. My RIR will pick at my pants, socks, shoes, untie my shoelaces, pick at my freckles (I'm guessing she thinks they're bugs, lol!) and so on. She'll let me pet her some, but for the most part, she's an independent lady. My little OEGB, which is in quarantine right now 'cause she's new, will run out of the brooder to me, or fly up on my shoulder. She's such a sweetie. Well, I'm hoping it's a she...I'm gonna be posting pics to see what you guys think.

I love the eggs. Even though I've had my flock for a while, I still get tickled at all the pretty colors. I like knowing where my eggs come from too, that they're fresh and laid by chickens who're loved and healthy, not shot up with antibiotics and goodness knows what else 'cause of the crappy conditions commercial companies keep their chickens in. Nor are they crammed together like those poor things are, without a care in the world that they're living, breathing animals that need good care.

They're beautiful too. I love the gorgeous colors on them.

I also enjoy their different personalities.

One of the main reasons though, is it's a family thing. Something we can all do together. We all enjoy them and each have our favorites. I'm loving my new d'Uccles, as I've wanted that breed for a long time. One of my girls that just started laying is so very sweet. All of my chickens have flower or plant names. We named her Honeysuckle...Honey for short, and she sure lives up to it 'cause she's as sweet as honey.

I got a lot of different breeds, in bantam due to space restraints, to decide later on down the line what breeds I'm gonna stick with. I have to laugh at that, as so far I like them all. I do have to make a decision though, but it's gonna be hard, as I don't want to keep so many breeds. There are also some other breeds I'd like to try out yet too (like bantam Faverolles...and if I could find some bantam Black Copper Marans that laid an okay dark egg [one woman on here had some], I'd like to try to make some bantam Favaucanas to get sage green eggs, plus I'd love a bantam olive egger too, but all this will have to wait, as I only have so much room, lol!).

We had chickens when I was growing up...Barred Rocks and RIR's, but I didn't pay much attention to them. One reason is because the roo was evil. My parents should've sent him to freezer camp and gotten another, but they didn't because he took on a raccoon one day and won. He was very protective of his girls.

I once thought, "Oh, chickens would be boring." Then for some reason I started reading up on them and decided to get some. How wrong I was...they aren't boring at all. They're wonderful pets with the benefits of eggs.