1. They are our home’s built-in recycle center and in return provide us with fresh eggs every day! Every time Georgia eats, half of her meal ends up thrown across the floor. That plus table scraps, food that’s gone bad, stale bread, etc. instead of getting wasted in the garbage becomes their special treat. They even love eating bacon grease!
2. They’re so peaceful! It’s a sweet scene watching them foraging and moving around together.
3. Having chickens creates real-life responsibility for our kids that’s fun. Each morning they are excited to help let the chickens out of their coop, to make sure they have fresh water, to give them treats and collect their eggs which we then eat for breakfast. They make chores fun for our kids and they’re learning all kinds of solid life lessons through it.
4. They’re also simply just fun to have around! Gracie is a chicken whisperer – she loves being in the middle of the flock and talking to them like little friends. John Shea is soo close to the roosters trusting him enough to let him hold them.
I love this — John Shea set up this table with the stumps as chairs and began making “mud birthday cakes.” The chickens flocked to his table hoping to get some of whatever he was cooking up. Jokes on you, girls!!
(You can see progress on our farm fencing and Cam’s chicken coop in the back!)
5. They’re very friendly, sociable animals and easy to care for. They’re used to us enough now that they follow us around begging for treats like puppy dogs. It’s hilarious!
The biggest negatives?
1.They will eat your garden if they can get to it. I caught both Baby & Bob (the roosters) eating my rose bushes today.
2. They poop everywhere. This isn’t a problem for us now that we have a big property, but it was in our small backyard in Zagreb. We had to keep them in their run and only let them free range at certain times. But even then they were so happy and provided amazing eggs. This negative can become a positive for the garden — fantastic fertilizer — if you can find innovative ways to use it as compost. Cam is using a deep bed system here inside the chicken coop that’s a foot deep of wood chips and sawdust. It absorbs their nastiness and only needs to be changed once a season. And becomes compost for our garden.
Do you have chickens or have you ever thought about getting some??
Hilary says
Interesting post and lovely photos. In the second photo Gracie looks so much like your mother.
Maggie says
We have a flock of 5 backyard chickens and absolutely love them! You cant beat the fresh eggs, but I completely agree about small spaces and chicken poop…I now have a rule that backyard shoes stay outside so that we don’t tract yucky into the house. We even have an Easter Egger chicken that lays us green eggs!
Amanda Marshall says
That is such a good rule. I’ve had to do the same — especially with Georgia crawling! We were just given two Easter eggers this weekend – I am so so excited for their pretty eggs!
Kristin says
We would love to have backyard chickens! My family had them growing up for a lot of the reasons you mentioned. We don’t have enough room in our current house, and we’re near the woods – which are full of Virginia’s adorable but destructive little foxes. Do you have wild animals in your area? How do you keep them protected?
Amanda Marshall says
We do… We have bobcats & foxes like you can’t imagine and tons of hawks. We’re also literally in a forest and the brush comes right up to the coop. So to keep them protected, Cam built a really secure chicken coop (our first one was a very light mobile kind that bobcats were pawing and grabbing the chickens under!!) and we got got a guard goose! Unless you’re literally up against the forest, I think having them in a fenced in area with a solid coop would be the best way to protect them!
Lanna says
Fun post! I grew up with chickens and ducks and a pet rooster named Cogburn 😉 Good memories so your kiddos will love it now – and later in life!!
xoxoxoxoxo,
lanneybear
Amanda says
Oh I forgot all about that!!! Ohhh Cogburn. What a name. What a rooster.
brittany says
this is my favorite post ever ever!!!!!!! and john shea with his table and log stools, oh my gosh, i cannot. this is happiness.
Amanda says
Haha he was soo happy they were playing along with him!!!!
imgrum says
Watching your kids with chicken is so lovely. I used to have chicken when I was young but I have never thought about playing with them..