# I love my chickens



## Shalva (Jun 21, 2012)

When I was a kid my father decided to get chickens... but like most things my parents did, they did not investigate or do their homework. The coop was an old abandoned coop on the property where we lived... it was a good 1/4 mile from the main house with no running water... a dirt floor, it was a filthy old building... but it was there so my father put chickens into it. I don't remember what kind of chickens I was probably in the 5th grade... but he never took care of them it was my job to take care of them and lug 5 gallons of water and food down to the chicken coop which was pretty heavy for a 10 year old... clean the coop and deal with the chickens... I hated them... there was one that was a different color and I named that one Cassie, but the chickens were filthy and unsocialized... they were in their coop all day and night... they never got out to scratch and find bugs... the floor was old dirt and smelled bad/musty My parents wanted eggs but by the time the chickens were five months old the fox and raccoons had killed a bunch of them and my parents decided to put the rest in the freezer... 

I wouldn't eat a single piece of chicken but one night I was really hungry and took one bite and my father said "you know who that is don't you" I haven't eaten meat since that moment; that is 30 years ago. 

Fast forward to now. 

I have nine dogs and we are having a huge problem with ticks so my husband and I got a dozen chickens. One turned out to be a rooster so I found a home for him that needed a rooster so right now I have 11 chickens... 8 buff orpingtons and 3 barred rocks and I absolutely adore these chickens. I love them to bits. I have spent time socializing them from the moment they got home. I pet them and talk to them and now they follow me around.. they jump up onto me and settle in my lap... The coop is finished and we put them in it and they were so nervous so I opened the door and sat with them and they all came to visit me... and after that they were much calmer. 

I could spend hours just watching them and petting them. I love bringing them treats and watching them go crazy over the crickets or worms... 

I am surprised at how much I adore these chickens... I was concerned that it would be a repeat of when I was a kid but its amazing how different things are when you are set up properly and do your homework... they have a better life and I can enjoy them.


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Amazing how these little feathered kids can be a life changer. I slow down now. Can't help it because they're so entertaining, I just want to sit there for hours watching them and playing with them. Love it when my german shep dog and Abbie (RIR) play together. Its so funny to watch. They bring a peace to my life I never had until I got my 7 blessings. I had no idea what I was in for when I got them as day old babies but the utter joy they bring is absolutely priceless. Now I'm known by my patients as the chicken lady. They love hearing the comical stories these girls provide.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)




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## grow_your_brew (Jul 20, 2012)

Yes, it certainly makes a difference if you socialize your chickens when they are chicks. For our first batch of chicks, we handled them a lot and a lot grew up to be really friendly. Then when we got a clutch when I was pregnant and didn't have the energy to really handle them much, they def. grew up to be less friendly.
Chicken personalities will also vary by breed as well as amongst individual chickens within a breed. I've found that breeds such as cochins are a lot more friendly then white leghorns (in general)


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## Lady_Alia (Jul 11, 2012)

Same here. We had chickens at different times on my life and I never really cared for em. 
Now I have 23 chickens and 3 ducks. I sit outside for hours watching them. in fact, we're putting a swing up by the coop! lol 
I love my birds. People think I'm crazy but that's ok. I'm crazy about my chickens!


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