Raising Chickens for a hobby or for a business!

Raising Chickens is so much fun.  I looked out my window today and watched these two chickens enjoying there day scratching for feed under the bird feeder.  I realized that they bring so much joy into my life and have for many many years.

Raising chickens is just part of who I am.  I can remember so many young boyhood experiences yet to this day that will always be embedded in my heart and mind.  I guess I have always had a fascination with the day to day joy that bring to my life.

I remember one particular day when I was about 6 years old (which was a long time ago) that is as fresh in my mind as it was the day it happened.

I had a favorite old Rhode Island hen that came up missing one day.  She was gone for several days before I finally figured out what happened to her.  My parents did their best to assure me that this old hen would probably show back up someday.  Each day I would look for her until finally I seen something in the bushes by an old corn crib that we would store corn in that would be later ground for feed for the cattle that my Dad raised on the Dairy Farm we operated.  As I climbed through the bushes sure enough it was my old Rhode Island friend setting there as calm as could be.  When I went to pick her up she kind of roughed her feathers up and seemed to growl at me.  Unknowing what was going on I reached in and picked her up much to her disappointment.  What I found was like striking gold to me.  A whole nest of finally polished eggs.

I quickly gathered them all up into my shirt and ran with eggs and chicken into the house full of excitement over my special find.

I still can remember my Mom’s reaction to the whole situation.  She knew that what I had found was my old Rhode Island hen that had gone broody setting on a clutch of her eggs that were about to hatch out any day now.

Through her excitement that her Son had found his long lost friend she instructed me to get that old hen out of the house and get them eggs right back where I found them and let her continue to set on them.  She then told me once I had done so to come back to the house and she would instruct me as to what was going on.

After returning the broody hen back to her nest safely atop of her eggs once again I rushed back to the house wondering why I had to put the eggs back.  Every day I would gather the eggs and bring them into the house to be cooked for breakfast for my brothers and I but this time I had to take them back.

My Mom explained that my Old Rhode Island hen was soon to be a Mom.  As far as she could figure from the time that I had lost her until this point that it could be almost any day now.   Of course I was in Kindergarten at this point so I had to go to school for a half day which seemed to just drag on until the moment I could get on that bus and head back home to my hen setting on her eggs.

One day when I got home much to my surprise the hen was once again gone and nothing was to be found in the nest but a few remains of the shells that once were high polished eggs that the old hen had been setting on.

I again assumed the worst until much to my delight I found my best friend and 11 brand new little fuzzy chicks following after their mom and scratching in the dirt like they were copying moms every move.

Since that time in my life many chickens have come and gone and I have observed many brand new chicks hatching out from under many more of my hens.  Of course many of them are from my incubator I keep in my office whee I can be sure to observe this miracle of life each time it happens.  Even at the age of 51 I still feel that same excitement each time I see a brand new chick arrive safely from it’s shell and ready to start it’s new life.

I have raised chickens pretty much my whole life except for a 4 year tour in the United States Marine Corps.  They just never seemed to accepting of the idea so we took 4 years off   But soon after my wife and I were in a home of our own when my enlistment was done it was not long until  I was once again enjoying my days with my chickens.

I keep trying to make the decision as to what I want to do with my chicken raising.  Do I keep going as I have over the years, or do I run it more as a business selling hatching eggs and chicks?

I guess on days like today as I look out my window and see a fine mixed breed rooster and one of his hatchery run special Buff Orpington girls busily scratching for bird seeds that the birds must have through out of the feeder just for them, it makes me think why change now.  I need to do what brings me the most satisfaction in my life.  Through my experience I hope that it brings something special into the life of another little boy that just is looking for something to bring him some joy into his life.

I guess the more I try to make one of my passions into a business the more my heart keeps going back to the little moments that just raising a few chickens around the house can bring into ones life.

Raising chickens can be so much more than just gathering a few eggs or meat for the freezer.  Take the time to look for those special moments that raising chickens can bring into your life.

Make sure you do proper research and studies before starting up your own flock to save many heartaches down the road.  I have known a few disappointed young children that started with a few little chicks only to find out they had to go because the place they lived did not take kindly to chickens.  So check out all of your local town and city ordinances to ensure it is OK to raise a few chickens.

Also remember that with any pet there comes the days of having to treat a sick chicken and even losses just as with any pet.  So be prepared.

Raising Chickens can bring much day to day joy.  Just ask anyone that is passionate about their flock!

Have a great day and enjoy!

Jeff