Chucky Mama Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 (edited) I am really interested to know why Omleteers keep chickens. Are they pets, for meat, for both, breeding etc? (This is my first attempt at a Poll so I hope that I have done it correctly ) Edited June 22, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Mine is for two reasons really - as pets and i rescued them but i selected rescue in the end as that was the initial thing that made we want chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackiepoppies Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I originally wanted chickens to provide us with eggs, but now they have become important pets Jx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I put pets first, because curiously enough I never really thought about eggs! I had no idea that I'd get so many or that they'd be so lovely, I just liked the idea of chickens in the garden. The eggs are a delightful bonus. I should add however that I distinguish my chooks - garden pets - from the cats, who are house pets. I am fond of the hens, recognise their distinct personalities, do my best to look after them and meet their needs and am sad when I lose one, but I am not as emotionally attached to them as I am to the cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Thay are pets, but pretty much the same as Olly. The eggs are a bonus - very yummy bonus I was heartbroken when I lost Pearl and my mom pointed out, "If you're this upset when you had her for 9 months, what will you be like when you lose one of the cats?" I dread to think, my cats are 7, 6 and 2 so hopefully that won't be for a long time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Mine is for two reasons really - as pets and i rescued them but i selected rescue in the end as that was the initial thing that made we want chickens ah, I have changed the poll so that you can put in more that 1 choice - I think that it will be better as I suppose some people need to put pets and rescue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Oh, pets absolutely. Eggs are a bonus and as they all lay so well I give a lot away. I had 3 chickens of fate ..... sort of. I had a client living in Richmond who had three omlet hens who had never scratched outside their eglu run. The council imposed a HUGE charge for 4 x 4s (quite rightly ... who needs a huge 4 x 4 to deliver kiddy winkles to school in the London suburbs for heaven's sake ... I could go on about this forever...sorry) Her hubby insisted that they have a concrete apron laid in the garden to accommodate the said HUGE vehicle thus avoiding the charge ............ so ............. the chooks had to go. I took 3 pecked bald chickens up here to The Lakes where they grew feathers and learnt to hunt worms and beetles. Have four more now and would have more. They trashed the garden till I got wise and implemented a little husbandry. See this thread viewtopic.php?f=5&t=39860 Sorry, have gone on a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I keep them for pets and the eggs eggs, but not commercial egg production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 They are quite definitely pets. Although the Eggs are of course fantastic, and were also useful in convincing OH to get the chickens in the first place. (Although he now also sees them as pets, and is soppier than I am about them... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrensWorld Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 We voted 1, Pets. 2, Eggs (equal with 1 really), 3, Other, entertainment, even though we've only had them a short time they've already developed into individual characters. We wish chickens had kept us years ago........ We've changed Daisy's name to Alice, as in 'wonderland'. Because its a wonder we can catch her....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I put 'other' as it was egg first then pets but they aren't the same for me as my cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I keep my laying hens as pets and for their fantastic eggs but this year we have started to keep a few meat birds so that we can ensure they have a happy, well fed life prior to their dispatch. It wasn't something I'd originally thought about when keeping hens but it's become a natural progression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 My chooks are pets with benefits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I voted other, because the initial reason was to try to educate the children about where their food comes from and to be able to give them a less 'adulterated' diet. Secondly it is for pets and lastly eggs for commercial purposes, but that is really only a last resort - I use as many as I can myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 They're pets firstly, but the eggs are good too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Pets first & foremost, eggs are a definite bonus, and 2 of my girls are rescued exbatts, which is also a great reason to have them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrensWorld Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 My chooks are pets with benefits Exactly, couldn't have put it better.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I voted for Pets and Rescue, and then I voted for Other. I've had time off work with glandular fever and depression and I honestly think that chickens are the best medicine I have ever had . They make me laugh and get me outside when nothing else will, I tell my doctors they should prescribe chickens to everyone . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsallen08 Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I chose rescue because 8 of my girls are rescue hens. And they give us some fantastic eggs which we also sell to friends, colleagues, neighbours etc! (family are free!) Then we had a bantam given to us when we were picking up some rescue hens, so that started us liking the 'pretty' girls. So now have some pekin bantams and silkies. We also had a cock so ate him! And if we had more land would definately have birds for the meat too. Oh and we have some fertile eggs so we are going to try and hatch them with our broody. I think no matter what you're intentions are when you start with hens, you will undoubtedly become hooked and try either different hens, breeding and even some for the table. And all in your back garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigopurple Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I stumbled over the BHWT and read the terrible stories and looked at the sad photos and I was sold. So rescue and pets. The eggs are an amazing bonus but when they stop laying then I wont get rid of them, my dad used to keep chickens and this was standard practice. I then went round to a friends house (lewis on here) and was sold sold sold even more. I am in love with them so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and last week i was out from 6am to 10pm so dh was in sole charge of the chucks. i save food s"Ooops, word censored!"s all day for them and they get them on the night. Anyway DH took the kids for McDonalds so there were no s"Ooops, word censored!"s so he chopped up cucumber and grapes for them and took them down. he also digs worms out for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I keep them for pets and the eggs eggs, but not commercial egg production. Me too. I wanted to have eggs that were reliably free-range and, as we live in the countryside, the place seemed to need chickens ! I wanted to have them scratching around the garden and yard and have to be scattered out of the way when I come down the drive, but because of all the dogs that just wander onto our land, I daren't let them out of their electric-fenced enclosure, so they are not as much pets as we would like and more egg producers (but not commercial, I give very few away and sell even fewer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
