Single hen

[helenmb]

I wanted them originally for the eggs (as I am a veggie and wanted happy eggs) but they have become so addictive to me. I am about to add another 3 new girls and am upgrading to a cube next week as 2, then 3 were not enough. You have been warned

[kez]

Our goldfish Tartrazine (E102 for short ) had just died and my daughters wanted a new pet.

 

I am asthmatic so can't have fur or feathers in the house. You can't do much with goldfish and I wasn't keen on a guinea pig or a rabbit.

 

A group of us at work were talking about pets and someone mentioned chickens. I mulled on this idea for about a week, and kept visiting the Omlet website. Then I mentioned the idea to my DH, who surprisingly was quite keen.

 

Two weeks later we placed our order and a month later they arrived.

 

I wish we had got them years ago now - they're great! I'm already thinking about 2 more - not till spring though. mmm maybe sooner than that

[crazygal]

A few years ago we were on holiday in Brittany and there were hens at the bottom of the garden, one was very bold and friendly and kept coming up to the back door. I just loved the bok bok noise and we said that one day we would get some ourselves.

 

We put the idea on the back burner, moved house, got a bigger garden...and then watched Hugh's Chicken Run, and I decided there and then I would get some chickens. A week later we had our eglu and 3 chickens.

 

10 months later I am still deliorusly happy with my chickens, they have their own personalities, they are our pets, and we get loads of eggs

[Mutrix Farmers]

We visited a farm and Son was allowed to feed the chickens as they scratched around the yard. Something about them appealed to me and I decided they would make my garden complete. The eggs were a bonus really!

[sparkysmum]

We had also talked of keeping hens over the years and decided this year to go for it. We went for ex batts for 2 reasons 1) to give them a happy retirement 2) We didn't know about other breeds. The eggs are a bonus but not hugely important We all love them and love to see them in the garden everyday but I am still a bit sad that Sparky no longer has 100% access to the garden. (He still wants to eat them ) I am sure you will love yours. Enjoy

[beach chick]

we're in the 'always talked about it' camp too. we were put off for a few years - my brother had some that used to escape continuously, and DH had to help a friend of his clip their chooks' wings, which put him off.

anyway, 18 mths ago I got my pink eglu as a surprise birthday pressie, had to source my own birds though! from 4 we went down to 2, and now up to 8. and we have no problem with clipping wings if we need to.

the benefits are: I like watching them, and looking after them; and of course the eggs!! the poo for the compost has not been such a bonus yet, I cant get into my compost heaps because there are slow worms living in there.

[daj198]

I got into the green/self sufficiency thing and started watching "It's Not Easy Being Green". This started me growing some vegetables in our huge and ungardened garden. Because it was such a success, I decided to take self sufficiency to the next level by getting livestock.

 

I saw them adopting ex-bats on It's Not Easy Being Green and thought it would be great to get some. It made sense, give them leftovers which they convert into poo for compost and eggs for food, plus they eat slugs and snails. Most of all though, I wanted to give some ex-bats a happy retirement after their traumatic start. The rest was a bonus!

[Seagazer]

I must have been vaguely talking about chickens for years because I mentioned to my hubby a piece in the newspaper on Omlet and how you could have them in a town garden.

 

He said 'thats great, you can finally get your chickens' I didn't really realise that I'd been talking about getting them.

 

The eggs are great though and the other day a lady at college gave me a £1 for some eggs. She refused to have them as a gift as she said she couldn't ask me for more if I wouldn't take any money.

 

I now have an egg jar in which I will save my money up to sponsor another ex-batt.

[keyhole kate]

I had always had a fascination/love

for hens having spent lovely hols on a farm

in Orkney as a child and always wanted some

but had to wait until my chicks had all grown up

and had their rabbits, guinea pigs etc now at 48

its my turn

 

I got mine purely for pets! But the eggies are an

excellent bonus definitely the best thing I have

ever done they have also helped me get through

losing my mum earlier in the year (very therapeutic)

[Roos]

We got ours from the Malvern Autumn show. they are Buff Orpington Bantoms.

 

grace

[cathybc]

I really wanted an Eglu - and when I found out you could rescue ex-batts, there was my justification for getting one !

[..lay a little egg for me]

When we moved out here to the country 10 years ago we said we ought to keep chickens and had been saying it on and off for 10 years. Then we made some new friends (when DS changed schools and we got to know some of the parents) and they had been keeping chickens for years. They really sold us on how easy it is to look after them, so we finally took the plunge!