I was talking to a friend the other day. She’s a gentle soul, a kind-hearted person who says, “I could never kill an animal” with wide, pained eyes that let you know she’s not talking in hyperbole.
She wants chickens. She wants them bad. She wants the experience of fluffy little chicks and she wants hens to weed for her and she wants her daughter to have that mini-backyard-petting-zoo experience.
She has, up until now, not given into her chicken-keeping desires. For this I am so proud of her.
You see, there’s a reality to chicken keeping that doesn’t show up when you are scanning Pinterest for gorgeous coops. (I maintain a Pinterest board of chicken keeping and coop inspiration, by the way, if you are into that kind of thing.)
A continuous supply of plentiful eggs requires a continuous supply of hens at laying age. For us non-commercial chicken-keepers, a good rule of thumb is that hens will lay pretty consistently (with periods off for molting, reduced day length and broodiness) from about 6 months old until about 3 years old. Although you will hear a lot of anecdotes about individual hens that keep pumping out eggs until they are 5 or 6 years old, the general consensus is that three years old is usually the beginning of the end for consistent egg laying.
Call it Henopause.
“Woh. Was That A Hot Flash?!”
A well-kept backyard hen, protected from hawks, raccoons and Fido, can easily live to be 8 or 10 years old, and ages of twice that are not unheard of.
Bear with me here as I do some Urban Homesteader math. One layer hen eats about 1.5 pounds of layer feed per week. (Pastured birds will eat less purchased feed – yet another good reason to buy this book and study it before you design your coop and run.)
If a chicken starts laying at 6 months old (this is a bit later than average but it makes my numbers easy) and has essentially stopped laying by 4 years old, and lives naturally to be 8, a backyard chicken keeper is looking at 3.5 years of egg production time, and 4.5 years of Pets Without Benefits time. That’d be 351 pounds of feed going to a hen that isn’t making eggs!
Current, local prices for the layer rations I feed my hens is $28 per 40 pound bag, or $.70 a pound. Admittedly, this is a bit spendy, but I get the locally produced, happy-hippie, GMO-free feed from the lovely folks at Scratch & Peck. At those prices, it costs $245.70 to maintain a hen into theoretical old age and natural demise while you aren’t getting any eggs.
Which means those half-dozen cute peeping balls of fluff you take home from the feed store in spring could cost you $1474 during the time when they are not giving you eggs. And of course I’m not including the cost of bedding, a fractional share of the coop, potential vet bills, etc.
Meanwhile, if you live in a city or suburb, you have an even bigger problem: your now non-laying hens are taking up your legal urban chicken quota which could be filled with younger, laying hens, and you are stuck. You can’t just keep adding to your flock indefinitely when you live on 1/12th of an acre in Seattle. So now you are a Backyard Chicken Keeper without any Backyard Eggs.
If your hens are pure pets, this is all totally fine. These are very reasonable amounts of money to spend on a pet, and if you are not resentful in the least at having to buy both chicken feed and grocery store or farmer’s market eggs, then Chickens As Pets is a wonderful path to take.
There is another option, of course. This is the option you won’t tend to run into on Pinterest. It’s not the solution of a soft heart so much as a calculating head.
You can make the decision to cull your birds when they are past prime lay. This is what all commercial egg operations do, and what “real” (as opposed to “urban”) farmers do, and what everyone who makes a living and not just a hobby from animal husbandry does.
Culled laying hens aren’t good for roasting or frying but they make unbeatable stock and stewing birds.
So basically those are your two choices: you continue to pay and care for chickens that barely give you eggs or you cowboy up and you deal with the slaughter of no longer profitable hens.
Back to my friend who really, really wants chickens.
Could she kill her chickens?
Oh no. Absolutely not.
We both agree, she doesn’t have that in her. Fine, I’ve no problem with that, and I’m glad she knows herself.
Does she want to pay for chickens even if she gets no eggs?
Well, not really.
Fine, I wouldn’t either – I totally understand.
I told her quite bluntly (as is my way) that she should not get chickens.
Can I give them to a chicken sanctuary when they get too old to lay? Some place that has a no kill policy?
No. No. You cannot do that.
She can’t, and no one reading this can. You know why? Personal responsibility. Your chickens, your adoption, your decision, your responsibility to see it through to the end. You do not get to embrace the idea of a more intimate relationship with your food chain and then make that food chain – the food chain you specifically set up – someone else’s problem when shit gets real.
There is a local urban farming message board that is filled – filled – with people trying to give away their three year old chicken to a “good home.” Are you kidding me? You own the chicken. Your home is a good home. And once it’s not, your soup pot is a good soup pot. I once joked to a good friend that I could stock my freezer for the entire year off no-longer-laying hens being given away free “to a good home.”
This pisses me off, as you can probably tell. There is absolutely nothing ethically superior – and quite a bit that is ethically dubious, if you ask me – about enjoying the benefits of a young laying hen and then turning over the care or slaughter of that hen to someone else once it stops laying.
That is not how animal husbandry works and it’s not how pet ownership works, and those are your two choices. I don’t care which path you take with your chickens, but pick one. Playing Little Suzy Farm Girl until it’s time to get the axe and then deciding you aren’t up for chicken ownership just doesn’t fly with me.
Normally I am a Rah-Rah Cheerleader for this quirky way of life, and I think any fair assessment would deem me particularly encouraging to beginners. But a chicken is not a seed packet, it’s an animal and a responsibility. If you can’t cull your own birds or can’t provide for them all the way into their Chicken Social Security, then please, do not get chickens.
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I agree with the sentiment 100%, but I do take issue with the math. You are assuming that hens who stop laying continue to eat the same amount of feed they laying hens do, which is not, and cannot be, the case. The feed requirements of layers is higher due to the fact that much of that feed is being converted into eggs. I don’t have a handy estimate of feed requirements of “retired” hens, but it should be similar to the feed requirements for a full grown rooster (not for a growing broiler, but a bird that has reached full size).
I am also sure that there are still far more unwanted dogs and cats in this country than unwanted chickens. Many people may want to get rid of their chickens when they stop laying, but many are willing to keep them as pets. We have a “freeloading” hen in our backyard, but my daughters would never forgive me if I were to slaughter her, even if I wanted to do it. But she is a pet. She eats less than a dog or a cat, and her poop is a bonus to our yard, which can’t be said for dog poop or cat poop. And we don’t have to take her for walks.
On the “unwanted” rooster front, this is an important issues, and I breed sex-linked crosses of heritage breeds for folks that want backyard chickens in urban San Diego, exactly so that people can be 100% sure they are getting hens.
Thank you for writing this post. Thank you for taking the words right out of my mouth. Whether it is a chicken, or any other living thing (pet, or not, heck even a child). Thank you.
P.S. I’m talking about taking Responsibility for actions and decisions in general. Not suggesting you eat your pets and kids… Just to be clear.
; )
I would never dream of slaughtering my hens after they stopped laying. You adopted them then you shouldn’t cut their life any shorter than it is. You were willing to buy them and pay so why not pay a little extra to keep the old birds buzzing? I saved some battery hens from definite termiation were they are made to lay and lay and then be slaughtered imediately afterwards. To bring that all back on them sounds disgusting – they are living creatures after all and you adopted them as your pets not your egg laying slaves. Killing a pet is just not right. There is a large difference between bred to kill and pet, no matter if you change ones status, I think you should think about that.
Thanks for the very interesting post. I’ve just started doing the research about getting chickens and jumped at the chance to read a counter-point after all the forums that only tell the good things about owning chickens. I knew there had to be a drawback!
Most of the forums I’ve read indicate that a chicken will continue laying eggs sporadically most of her life – a chicken that laid 5 eggs a week in her prime would scale back to 1 or 2, or such. I think this would be about ideal and I’m actually hoping I can find someone who wants to offload 2 or 3 older chickens – I don’t want to deal with baby chicks and would much prefer stable hens with known temperament and less egg production. The cost of the chicken feed seems worth a few eggs a week and some neat pets! Your post doesn’t seem to acknowledge that an older chicken “past her prime” might really be wanted by someone. I would be a great no-kill sanctuary!!
I don’t believe what I’ve read – you wouldn’t cull a dog or cat when it got old & expensive! We keep 4 adorable, funny hens & don’t give a dam whether they lay eggs or not!
This article started to piss me off, and by the end I was saying “EXACTLY!” Preach on! “If you’re going to own chickens, the first thing you need to know is how to kill one.” The first time I heard this it was a bit extreme, but once you’re seasoned you know it.
We adopted out our 1st (noisy) rooster, and he was swiftly eaten by the adopter’s next-door dogs. That could’ve been OUR dinner!
The idealists who don’t own up to the realities of animal husbandry then flood the shelters – they make us look bad. The return/neglect/mistreatment of hens is the #1 choice of ammo our city council uses against owning backyard hens in my city.
We have 13 hens now in our urban backyard and it takes some upkeep, but we also look forward to our organic, humane, backyard-raised hens for dinner one day (that had a much longer, natural, happier life than 99% of hens these days). Thankfully, a local butcher processes them for $3/hen. This is a very sustainable source of protein for our large, not vegan family.
Surprisingly, it’s harder than you think to get attached. Chickens are kind of sweet, but mostly they’re “bird brains.” We’ve cuddled a few of our hens from 2-3 days old to 3- 4 months old, and they’re no different with us now than the unattended hens.
In addition, if you just “chop their head off” it makes a mess when they jump around. It’s best to break the neck with 2 strong tugs, and go from there.
If the coop/run area smells bad, it needs a lot of fresh mulch/to be cleaned. Bare surface areas should be cleaned weekly, and mulched areas refreshed when it’s no longer hiding the poop. The chicken’s water also needs to be kept as clear as possible, and wash your waterer out completely (with bleach or vinegar, whichever you prefer) once a week.
Put thought into your coop design – find a good book that suits your climate! And know that keeping it clean (which is easier if you have a well-designed chicken area, because they crap a lot) is most of the work in getting good eggs/chicken!
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Why not have chooks? I have 100’s! They’re addicting! YOU’VE GONE MAD!
We have had chickens for a number of years in our backyard…three at a time in the city…wish we could have more. But, after about 3 years my kids take their pets and we put them in a rubber made container with the lid off and drive them to our friends farm when they are culling their birds. I was amazed at how resilient my kids were. We dropped them off, said good bye and then got back in the van and drove to another farm to pick up new layers…when the time came to drive away they were all talking about what to name their new chickens and I had tears in my eyes. (which I hid) I thought I would be able to handle it better…it made sense in my head and financially but when it came to the actual doing it I found it tough. This time around I think it went better but I also never spent the same amount of time with these birds as I had with our first 3. Backyard chickens are awesome pets, quiet, they don’t bite, you can leave over night and not have to get someone in to care for them…ours become so friendly that they hop in my kids arm and climb to their shoulder and perch there, they swing with them…one fell asleep..I think it most be hypnotic, and best yet for my 3 year old is a great companion in his sandbox. They love to dust themselves in sand to get cool in the summer. They eat almost all our compost, provide some great fertilizer for my gardens and eat all the slugs and even weed my lawn for me. Best pet out their hands down for a busy mom with 5 kids under 8.
I also am someone who could never kill anything myself, but I’m lucky in two ways. First, my dad’s grandparent’s had a chicken farm and he helped to process thousands of chickens as a kid. Second, I buy my meat from a farm and I asked if he would take my chickens when they are past their laying peak – even if he butchers them it’s ok with me. He said he’d be happy to take them and probably wouldn’t even bother with killing them.
So, before I got chickens I made sure I had a plan for them – with a backup plan. And I certainly recognize that as cute and as lovable as they are, the plan is for them to provide and beyond that, we may have to take action.
Now my husband and daughter… different story.
Here here. We have three hens right now who have just started producing eggs (well, one is a freeloader at the moment). We will probably end up keeping them as pets, but, if I had my druthers, I’d make some high-quality broth from them when the time comes. My girlfriend will probably not be able to separate her love of them to what equates to mere broth, though.
Bottom line, teach yourself (and your kids) some real responsibility and keep what you have started–don’t toss your duties onto someone else.
Right now, I’m working on a blog (click my name) which will feature our trial-and-error attempt at doing this–and try and give my design for free chicken coop plans. I will also stress that people need to take personal responsibility.
“So basically those are your two choices: you continue to pay and care for chickens that barely give you eggs or you cowboy up and you deal with the slaughter of no longer profitable hens.”
So basically we’re ignoring all the other benefits of backyard chickens and only valuing them for their eggs? In my experience they’re fantastic for consuming kitchen scraps (and keeping food out of the landfills), do an excellent job at pest control in the garden (I have a mobile coop so I can simply let them pasture on a garden bed), and produce excellent fertilizer (chicken sh*t: sure its no fun cleaning out the coop, but it sure gives the garden a needed boost), the kids love them and it teaches them a bit of responsibility (caring for the animals); Furthermore, as a fly fisherman I’ve made a few decent flies from their feathers (caught a 6 1/2-pound cutthroat).
So whats that? Garden Helpers, Educational Experiences, Compost Makers, Fishing & Craft Material, Bio-reyclers, and Local Food Producers. Failing to lay eggs does not mean that they are no longer ‘profitable’
I agree 100%
You are so right! Why the hell would someone want the companionship of an animal? No one in their right mind would EVER pay for food, veterinary care, and shelter for a warm, fluffy companion that doesn’t even provide any goods in exchange.
Oh wait.
We have 4 Australorps that have been good pets and layers. These ladies are so loved by my grandchildren that there is no way we can cull them. They’re great for controlling bugs and mice so they’ll stay pets even when they stop laying. Yesterday we lost 1 and we don’t know why. She was acting strange on Sunday and then yesterday we found her. We are getting more chickens as there are 6 of us and we need more eggs, but these won’t be pets if I can help it.
They aren’t named, but I had a friend who got two young turkeys and told the kids they could name them. Their names – Thanksgiving and Christmas – and yes they were the main course.
Besides taking care of most of the bugs and weeds in my yard, my girls make a lovely compost that has my desert backyard greener than it ever has been. I named them, hand fed them, and even trained them to do a few tricks. They are definitely egg-laying pets at this point. Even when they are no longer laying, they will still provide the other services, as well as being a source of much entertainment. Since I can’t eat much more than a dozen eggs a week, I don’t need many layers to keep me in eggs. I currently have four and am getting a few more next spring. Then, just as they start slowing down the egg production, I will add a couple more. By that time, a few should start dying off, and so forth.
Great article. I’ve been contemplating getting a few hens for a couple of years and this is exactly my biggest concern. I’ve hunted, killed and dressed animals, so no inherent problem with that. But I figure that some attachment would form. I’m sure after the first couple ‘pots of soup I’d be alright. You put it very well – animal husbandry vs. pet ownership. Again, great article laying out the true experience (pun partially intended).
Jees does it make u all feel big the fact u can kill chickens n shoot dogs ur like bragging about it like is a fantastic thing
I’ve had chickens since I was a kid. You don’t need that much feed to sustain them, especially if they are outside a lot of the time, and you give them your personal kitchen scraps. You can easily get by with 1/2 (or less) of the numbers you use for feed. They eat all sorts of stuff.
I run all kitchen scraps through the chicken coop before they go to the composter. You can also get a lot of food scraps for free if you know where to ask/look, I just brought home 10lbs of pumpkin scraps last night for them. IF there’s a kitchen near you, some will tell you when to come by to fetch that sort of vegetative garbage. Chickens don’t have a highly particularized diets like a cat or a dog. You can supplement traces of limestone powder or bone mean as needed to make thicker eggshells if that ever becomes an issue.
Also, all of my shredded/scrap paper from the house becomes their coop bedding. Once they make a mess of it, it goes into the composter, too. So, basically they are recycling and helping to degrade lots of paper, and compost into better garden soil.
I have backyard chooks – they cost zilch to keep and bring much joy – they dont lay which is ok cause I dont eat eggs much anyway – they are very friendly curious and love human company – they like to check out what I am doing in the garden and come in to the workshop to see whats going on .
Yeah but if your not an animal lover i can see why you wouldnt want to have them .
Hi Erica
I wanted to thank you for this post. It came to me at a critical time and made me really think through my responsibilities. We got our first 6 chickens in March and are raising them for eggs. We recently decided that our mean, attacking rooster had to go. I was 100% ready to take him alive to the local butcher and return a few days later to collect his body, neatly wrapped in cling wrap. But then I happened upon your post. I realised that I could not shirk this duty onto someone else. He was my rooster and my responsibility. Because of you, we changed our plans and confidently dispatched him ourselves. I feel very ‘right’ about the whole ordeal and wanted to let you know.
I will be linking this post to my blog, as I write about his demise. Thanks for all that you do!
I spent $2,500.00 on a puppy that I ended up spending $11,00.00 on hip replacement at a year of age. I could never trust him with my cats, or neighbors . It has been a blessing to my daughter and I to have are chickens. We just received our first egg today form one of four hens. They have been my daughters best friends and better then any dog I have ever had. To spend less then $300 a year on feed is so worth it to us. Live in Denver and have to say my neighbors love them compared to a crazy barking dog or a cat that uses there yard are a litter box.
Loving my Hens and intend to keep on Urban Farming thank you Denver for passing this great law!
if you think puppies should be killed then i hope you get arrested and tried for animal creulty. i hope you get jailed
Thank you for this article. So sensible. I grew up with chickens and recall wistfully the wonderful fresh eggs we had every day. The thing is, I’ve conveniently buried the unpleasant memories of having chickens: losing 20 at a time to the neighbor’s dogs. Losing a favorite hen to predators. Having to clean the coops (worst chore ever). Watching dogs get shot for wanton killing. Slaughtering our own chickens when they stop laying. Life lessons, granted. But I buy my eggs at the supermarket these days. Now my town has just allowed backyard hens, and my HOA is considering putting it to a neighborhood vote. I don’t know my human neighbors well, but I do know the local non-human ecosystem well enough to predict a lot of heartache and headache with backyard hens. The bad experiences are not something I want to re-live now with my suburban neighbors. We have an abundance of coyote, foxes, snakes, racccoons, skunks, and big owls. The neighbors let their housecats and even their dogs wander outdoors. I hope my neighbors who want backyard hens realize what they’re getting into and know what they’re letting others in for beforehand.
Some people care for and love their chickens. They don’t eat them and their sole purpose is not for just laying eggs. They are beloved pets. that’s right some even keep chickens in their homes with diapers. Yes chicken diapers. Some breeds of chickens are very smart and loving and I would never discourage chicken ownership if they are a family pet. Most of you won’t be able to comprehend this but some love and accept their chickens as family members just as a cat or dog. Just because you don’t agree with that it does not make it wrong. Frankly I encourage people to get chickens as pets if that’s what they want to do.a chicken can be loved just like a cat or dog. I realise most of you can’t comprehend this but its true. So why discourage it. ? I’ve read all your points now hear mine. Some of us love our chickens and they are family to us. Those not capable of understanding this could never get it but those animal lovers with big hearts understand what I’m saying. So I disagree with your article. Chickens are more than just meat and eggs to some of us. They are our beloved pets weather or not they still lay eggs we will love and care for them. Personally I think chickens make great pets! I say if your willing to except the responsibility of pet ownership and all that entails why not have chickens? They are great pets.
I have 12 backyard hens and I live in an urban part of the Bay Area of California. Yes, you shouldn’t adopt any animal without thinking of the long-term. I agree with the overall sentiment on being responsible in that regard, but I also believe that even if you do find “a better home” for your chickens after their henopause, you’ve still given those chickens a better life and taken a better step toward the food system by raising them for eggs in the first place.
I just don’t think “true animal husbandry” has to be so black & white to the point where you’re judging her friends who want chickens and writing posts with “absolutely should not” in the title. I’m skeptical of such strong opinions like that. Sure, if you own an animal, especially one used for food, you should be able to handle its death (I also believe that if you eat any meat, you should be able to handle experiencing the death and killing of the animal providing that meat…)
But for some people (like me), diving right into owning chickens without much regard for dealing with their future deaths has been a good learning process. After my husband killed one of our accidental roosters (I was okay with him doing it, but couldn’t be around for it), I realized it was time to start becoming at peace with the idea and that’s why I went to help with my aunt and uncle’s turkey harvest/killing at their farm as a personal step toward that goal.
It would still be hard for me to kill one of my hens, however, because they are pets to me. I’ve raised them from little babies and watched their quirky individual personalities develop from the beginning. I know each of my hens well and I love them dearly and so it would be very sad. I would probably be fine keeping my non-laying hens around as pets until they die naturally, but my husband will probably disagree. We will have to find some balance.
I think my main point is that sometimes progress in being able to deal with the hard stuff only happens when you get your hands dirty in the first place and that’s not a bad thing… but even if you still wouldn’t be able to kill your own chickens, keeping them or giving them away doesn’t have to be looked down on either, because you’ve still done a better thing overall.
I have raised chickens on LI NY for 26 years now and never had any of the issues you speak of. My flocks have ranged from 30 to 6. I have often given or sold eggs to neighbors and family. Generally predators overlapping ages, logically and safely integrating different aged chicks and hens to existing flocks, and production, takes care of the “problem” you speak of. My Pet Chicken allows for ordering small amounts of chickens if she wants to start small with about 3-5 chicks..let them lay for the 2-3 years of PRIME production then add 3 or 5 fresh chicks (when they reach the correct ages) more to the flock. The different aged hens will generally stay separate form the rest of the flock unless you have a rooster- he will incorporate the new hens into the flock when they are ready…By the time the the older ones start laying less the newer ones take over. Chickens are smarter then most, and probably you, think. They greet you knowing you come with snacks, and each one has their OWN distinct personality..they are more relaxing and easier to care for then gold fish PLUS you get eggs. DO NOT discourage her from getting them if she really wants them..I have often told family I would move anywhere I have to, as LONG as I can keep chickens…
If you end up with a rooster find a local farm and see if they will take it if you don’t want one. You don’t need one for the eggs..but I love the roo’s I have had and have had them on and off for the 26 years of having chickens…
Hey!
This article resonated with me in many levels. I found your website because the crossfit box (Crossfit Somerville) I go to is entertaining the idea of raising our own chickens. In fact, tonight I’m head to a 101 workshop on “raising chickens”.
The practice is not completely new to me, as I am from Brazil, and although I was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, which is a major urban center, my family and I spent a lot of time in more rural areas in Brazil (farms…lands…etc). I’ve seen plenty of chickens, pigs, etc being killed for the purpose of huh…eating.
I have never slaughtered a chicken, but am open to learning how to (AND DO IT) should the time comes when one (or a few) of our non-egg-laying (crossfit) chickens would be better served in a huge yummy stew pot. In Brazil, we have quite a few dishes in which we use these chickens…one of them is called “canja de galinha”.
I will raise this up tonight. I will say that if we decide to go forward with the project, we should all be in alignment about what we’ll do with the chickens when they are not laying eggs any longer. I vote for stewing them, and making it true animal husbandry.
Now…I only have to figure out, where said chickens would be slaughtered, and how to do it. Any insights will greatly help!
Thanks guys!
When we first got chickens, the thought of a cull never occurred to me. (Their death never occurred to me either.). I was a ‘to a good home’ thinker. Then I read an article to this tune and had my big ‘Aha’ moment. As hard as it is to kill Pecky or Bumster, it’s just par for the course of responsible urban farming. I agree, if one can’t follow through with their responsibilities of animal husbandry, then one should probably just stick to tomatoes.
Our family commits to animals through the social security years, it’s how my parents were raised, and their parents, etc. I am stunned at the number of people just in my own little neighborhood that weren’t taught that value. And no I can’t own chickens. 🙂
Terri
p.s. I’ve averaged out the cost of 20 something age cats to be about $5000 a year. Can’t imagine it could be less for farm type animals.
I’d like to start a small 3 chicken backyard coop. I’m not adverse to killing the chickens or even eating them, but is it necessary for me to do the deed? Are there places where the birds can be taken to to accomplish that which my ‘sensibilities’ don’t allow? (South Florida)
I am a member of Backyard Chickens, I agree on what you are saying. I want horses, donkeys, goats, suger gliders, hedge hogs, and Farrets just to name a few. I would be irresponsible if I did. I have chickens, I want a lot if chickens, but again I can not. I have what I can manage with a good quality of life. I have 12 in all, of my chickens I have 1 pet chicken. She will die of old age, eggs or no eggs. I my girls enjoy life, I have peace of mind that when they go to camp freezer, it will be humanly done.
I am 67, about to put myself thru hell, moving. Not something I like to do. But I wish to supply my own meat chickens as well. I look at the chicken in the grousery, and I see tge Tyson chicken trucks I used to pass. The miserable life they live for the short time they are here. I feel guilt buying that meat. I do not feal guilt, only grateful ness and thanks to the life given, from my backyard. When alive, they ran around, took dust bathes, scratched the earth, and eather rooster or nested in clean bedding. No burning ammonia amd forced lighting. Their feathers are cle an and in good shape and they have thier beaks.
I probably will always wont, that’s ok. I may foster one of these animals for short time, but for me chickens is all I can care for the right way.
Oh, and I do have a garden, 4 – 30’X4′ beds. 2 are managed, 1 is a kamikaze vegetable garden, and one is used for composting for next year, if I am still here at this location. (Kamikaze is a garden you throw seeds in and see who wins. Cilantro, cabbage, and broccoli are on top right now with onions ans beets holding there own, weeds are losing. )
I am a member of Backyard Chickens, I agree on what you are saying. I want horses, donkeys, goats, suger gliders, hedge hogs, and Farrets just to name a few. I would be irresponsible if I did. I have chickens, I want a lot if chickens, but again I can not. I have what I can manage with a good quality of life. I have 12 in all, of my chickens I have 1 pet chicken. She will die of old age, eggs or no eggs. I my girls enjoy life, I have peace of mind that when they go to camp freezer, it will be humanly done.
I am 67, about to put myself thru hell, moving. Not something I like to do. But I wish to supply my own meat chickens as well. I look at the chicken in the grousery, and I see the Tyson chicken trucks I used to pass. The miserable life they live for the short time they are here. I feel guilt buying that meat. I do not feal guilt, only grateful ness and thanks to the life given, from my backyard. When alive, they ran around, took dust bathes, scratched the earth, and eather rooster or nested in clean bedding. No burning ammonia amd forced lighting. Their feathers are cle an and in good shape and they have thier beaks.
Oh, and I do have a garden, 4 – 30’X4′ beds. 2 are managed, 1 is a kamikaze vegetable garden, and one is used for composting for next year, if I am still here at this location. (Kamikaze is a garden you throw seeds in and see who wins. Cilantro, cabbage, and broccoli are on top right now with onions ans beets holding there own, weeds are losing. )
Thanks for this! (So many great stories over the past year, too!)
My town allows 7 chickens, and given that I’m not inclined to cull them, I’ve decided just to get three, not the four+ I’d planned on thanks to this article. Hopefully, that’s enough social interaction for them. Then, if all three make it to ‘henopause’, perhaps I can add three more chickens at that time – slowly introducing the new ones, of course.
I’ve had chickens my whole life and they usually continue to lay eggs everyday until they are over 5 years old. But we feed our chickens bugs, worms and leftovers along with their grain, so they are healthy for a long time. They also get a lot of exercise; they are free range, yet surrounded by an electric fence to keep them safe at night. In the day the go into the pasture to eat salad (grass hehe)
BRAVO!
Thank you for your eloquence and putting into logical words what I have believed from the start.
Wow, this post is so good. SO GOOD. It’s everything I want to say to people who want to raise chickens just for the fun of it but don’t want to deal with the reality of it. We just had to cull a sick bird from our flock two days ago. It was my first time doing it on my own (my husband usually does the dirty work) and it was a major reality check for me. It’s not easy, but it’s something you accept from the start when you decide to bring chickens into your life. You really just took the thoughts right out of my head but said it way better than I ever could! By the way, I’m new around here, but really enjoying your blog!
I know this is an old article, but I still had to comment. You are awesome. That is all. 🙂
I absolutely love my chickens and they are my pets! I would NEVER kill them because they stopped laying! And I would like to say that my chickens bring great joy into my life! I say if your willing to care and love your chickens after they stop laying ABSOLUTELY GET BACKYARD CHICKENS!!!!!! It is a amazing experience! Chickens are NOT the stupid animals some people make them out to be! My chickens are very smart and they know what certain words mean, they come when called, they love to snuggle and sleep on my stomach while I pet them. They are like any other pet. They have a complex social structure. They are truly amazing creatures. But if your only wanting the birds for their eggs and are not considering their many other qualities, then perhaps you should not get chickens. They DESERVE a good life with someone who will appreciate their MANY qualities and NOT see them as just egg machines. They are precious creatures and should have a home where they are loved even when the eggs stop. Most will still lay well into old age by the way, the production just slows down. But again if eggs are all your worried about go buy them from the store. But if your looking for a wonderful animal to call a pet, then a chicken or chickens is a wonderful option! Get them as babies and handle them as much as possible and when they are grown you will have a very special pet! One that loves and will follow you, one that loves to be held and petted, one that will learn what words mean and get excited when they see you! But you have to be willing to care for them back. Provide them with good food and clean water and give them what they need like any other pet. You will soon learn that chickens are NOT dumb animals! They are very smart!! I would not trade my experience with chickens for anything! These creatures are gifts from God and they have really brought great joy into my life! It is such a great experience having backyard chickens! If you love animals and are willing to care for them then all means YES GET BACKYARD CHICKENS!!!! But if you are viewing the chickens as egg machines them PLEASE do NOT get them. They are much much more than egg machines.!! Eggs are a plus, yes, but they certainly are NOT the most important thing. So I have to say I think backyard chickens are wonderful pets that provide a positive experience, but if your not willing to provide a home for them even after they stopped laying then yes I agree with the author don’t get them. They are much more than just egg machines!! But if you can provide a loving home where they can get old then by all means get the chickens! ! I love my chickens so very much! They truly are amazing animals. Look into the breeds and find one that’s right for you. My flock are silkies, I just love that breed they are so adroable!! But do your research and prepare to be in it for the long haul if you want chickens. If your not willing to care for them like they deserve then don’t get them. It’s that simple. But I would NEVER discourage any one who wants chickens and is willing to care for them in old age. They really are great pets!
There is an option called Rent a Chicken in which you get a coop , bedding, feed, two hens and an education for about $350. You keep the chickens for Six months and then give them back with an option to adopt if you choose. Something to try if you are not sure.