Good
Fresh eggs
Entertainment
Chicken snuggles
Life’s Lessons
Companionship
Composters
Pest Exterminators
Bad
They are addictive.
Sometimes you can’t pull yourself away from watching them.
Overzealous garden assistants
Mean roosters
Frozen Waterers
Frozen Waterers
Ugly
Predator Attacks
When chicken poop gets on your clothes
What else would you add?
20 thoughts on “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly in Keeping Chickens”
Good- Being outside enjoying the fresh air
Bad- Being outside when it pouring down rain and cold
But either way it's good for the body and soul.
I totally agree!!
Good: After being gone for 3 days coming home to your sweet little Golden Sex link sitting on the porch waiting for you. She runs to the car jumps in and I can only imagine that the chatter is she is tellig me all the gossip and goings on while you were gone.
Oh don't you just love it!! You are so lucky to have her 🙂
Good – Excellent fertilizer producers & bug hunters.
Bad – Neighbors think you're weird (or maybe that's good!)
Yes, neighbors do think we are weird too. Makes me chuckle!
The good- nothing is more relaxing than spending time with my chickens and watching their antics.
The bad- Roosters, or rather discovering your sweet little chick is a rooster and you'll have to rehome him. I have 2 roosters out of my 11 chicks and I keep dragging my feet on getting rid of the older one. He hasn't crowed yet. I love him and don't want to part with him, but we live in the city limits and I can't keep him. SO SAD.
Oh yes, rehoming those roos can be heartbreaking. It is so sad to say goodbye. I hear you with the good and the bad. ((Hugs))
This is great to read as we are debating whether to get chickens or not next year. Deb
My vote is for you to get some chickens 🙂
The good totally outweighs ANY bad! And predator attacks are really the absolute worst of the bad. I lost all 24 of my girls in one night last month. I'm still sick about it. And this is about the most attack proof habitat you could imagine.
Oh my goodness Sue that must have been a horrific sight. Those poor chooks! What kind of predator could kill 24 chickens in succession?
So sad, I am so sorry. Do you think it might have been a weasel? Something similar happened to a dear friend of mine. My heart goes out to you.
We don't have chickens yet, but I am hoping that they will foster a sense of companionship and responsibility in my little guy. He has already said that he wants to "be in charge" of the chickens.
Chickens are wonderful starter pets for the family. My two children have learned so much from our little flock. Do keep me posted!
Good – Seeing a picture of my BO's on your post…..thank you!
Bad – As you mentioned predator attacks/death and rehoming. Other than that, it's all good!
Hi Maryann! Yes, your girls have created quite a stir these past few days. I look so fondly on that visit that we had together. We are long overdue for another.
Bumble foot definitely comes under UGLY. Our head chook Washington has been suffering with a nasty infection since April. With two operations by the vet her foot is nearly healed up but it has been a long recovery.
I agree! So terrible, but so happy to hear that is is recovering. I just hate it when the body takes so long to mend. You are lucky that you have a vet nearby that can help. The vet probably saved her life. Thank goodness.
Poop on my patio. Because our yard is small I do have to hose as soon as they are done with any free roam time. Fencing them off was the best thing we did. I trim my girls poopy butts.