Why do I hate to love our chickens?
There are a variety of reasons that I don’t like our backyard chickens but the advantages outway the disadvantages! On our homestead, they fertilize our lawn, lay farm fresh eggs, and teach our children about raising animals for food.
Why is raising chickens so important?
Raising chickens is an excellent choice for a beginner. My husband and oldest child do all of the chicken work, but even though I am a working mother, I would still have time to do the chicken care myself if needed! Whether you are looking for an easy backyard farm animal to raise or have acreage, chickens are a staple on farms.
Chickens are also an excellent way for beginners to get their feet wet in farming. Make sure to check your local ordinances; our old neighborhood only allowed three chickens. You must get familiar with your local supply store for feed and other needs (feeders, water dispensers, advice).
5 reasons I hate to love our Chickens
1- They are like attitudinal teenagers
You imagine raising cute little chicks but they quickly turn into attitudinal teenagers. They start to make a ruckus when you approach them, wanting fresh food. They can be bottomless pits when it comes to feed and fresh grass. Also, they tend not to listen to you!
They escaped our coop one night. My brave husband hunted them down in the darkness, brought them safely back to the coop, and they fought him the whole way! They did the same thing when we transferred them to our new coop. I would seriously rather kill a dozen spiders, hanging over my head, in a closed room than pick up an angry chicken!
2- They are poopy
Chickens make a lot of poop and their byproducts make for excellent fertilizer. You can optimize their waste with a coop like ours that has a poop tray under the roost! Some people even profit by selling it to local farmers.
If you don’t move the coop around, it becomes a dirty, messy breeding ground for salmonella. The chooks also aren’t happy without fresh grass!
3- They smell & attract predators
You start to learn about predators (owls, foxes, coyotes, etc.) on your property and how to keep your chickens safe. We never knew that our neighbor had dogs until they came through the tree line when they smelled our chickens for the first time! They started trying to tear apart our wooden coop.
Between the damage from the dogs’ attempts at chicken for lunch and wood rot from living on a bayou, we decided to get a sturdy coop. Our new coop has wheels for mobility and has several layers of defense against weather and predators including for the chicken run.
4- They need extras
There are some expenses with properly raising chickens. You need to buy their coop, layer feed, grit, and oyster shells. We feed our chooks leftover food that would otherwise go to waste. Grit is needed to help the chickens digest non-layer feed food. Oyster shells have calcium to produce stronger shells. We were not getting eggs, perhaps we were getting ghost eggs, until we fed the ladies oyster shells. Ghost eggs are thinly shelled eggs that end off being eaten, usually, before the owner recognizes them.
5- They have daily needs
The chickens need fresh water and feed. The coop needs cleaning and/or moving. Grit and oyster shells need replacing. Most importantly, the eggs need gathering before the chickens eat them!
With these daily requirements, you cannot go on a vacation and hope for the best. You will need to ask a friend or family member to care for them in your absence.
So why do I love them despite all the reasons not to?
Needs (and potential profit)
For a relatively low cost, with the right breeds, you can get more than enough eggs for your family’s needs. You can sell or donate the remaining eggs.
Fun
You (and your children) will delight at the sight of fresh eggs when you open the nesting box! Our girls enjoy watching & talking to them, feeding them, and providing fresh water. It’s a pet that literally gives back (without the snuggles). It also teaches the girls responsibility in caring for animals and the dedication it requires.
Nutritious and delicious
Farm fresh eggs contain more nutrients, benefiting all who consume them. Their rich yellow-orange yoke makes the eggs taste better; scrambled eggs never tasted so good!
Even though they are poopy, smelly, mean, needy, and require some extras I still love them. Eggs are delicious and versatile for cooking or baking. Were it not for the eggs, the ability to profit off of them, and the great learning experience, I would admittedly not like them as much but for now, I will continue to hate to love our chickens!
