[Carlhole]

Chickens beat dogs in sustainability

Montacre, who lives on Portland’s North Williams Avenue and keeps her chickens in a homemade front-yard coop, says the birds are pets first and foremost. However, Montacre and her husband Neil originally bought the chickens – then chicks – for the eggs they would lay.

“They’re excellent pets,” Montacre says. “They’re a lot less expensive than cats and dogs, as far as their feed, and they’re easy to take care of. I love my cats, but (the chickens) are more sustainable.”

Yeah, but chickens won't play frisbee. They have no character. And they don't remind a human being of himself. Sounds like a damn cat-lover is making value judgements about birds as pets. What do cat people know?

I can't see how chickens would make "excellent pets". They're not even in the kingdom of the mammals. Ok, sure... they lay better eggs. But life would have to get pretty damn nasty before you start holding the family dog responsible for that small personal failing.

Do chickens exist anywhere in the wild anymore? Not in the form we know. The chicken has been adapted by humans to function as a biological machine. Nothing more. Not that their bad machines to have around.

[smallpoxgirl]

That's only because Americans are too squeamish to eat their dogs.

[Roy]

So are you saying that dogs are more sustainable than chickens?

Being an owner of multiples of each, I can say that is true.

If you're strictly looking at $ and ¢

But, here is the biggy, the dogs do a job on my place that the chickens can't do.

They are my organic security system. And for that they are worth some extra food. Of course, they seem to prefer carrion they find in the woods to dry dog food, but what do I know???

Chickens give more tangible return, but dogs have value too, even if you don't eat them.

It's just harder to quantify love, affection, loyalty, and going batshit crazy when intruders, be they 2 or 4 legged, enter the vicinity (unknown dogs, humans and vehicles set them off big time).

But I like some fresh eggs, and selling a few dozen a month will pay for the chicken feed. Sell a few dozen a week and we're paying for chicken feed AND dog food. 11 hens and I get anywhere from 6 -11 eggs per day. At $3 per dozen I'm grossing enough to feed the dogs, the chickens and the outdoor feline varmint patrol.

Chickens are a useful part of any homestead. I'd rather eat eggs than process chicken though..

[Carlhole]

"Wilbert, you wuz a good dawg. But yew ain't laying the kinda ai-ggs we need uh'round hyuh. And whut you iz laying, we ain't puttin' on the 'sparagus!

K-A-A-Blooo-ey!!

[Ludi]

Do chickens exist anywhere in the wild anymore? Not in the form we know..

Maybe not the form you know.


Wild chicken (Indian Jungle Fowl)



Domestic chicken (Rose Comb Brown Leghorn)

[alokin]

My children (and unfortunately several neighbour children) think that chicken are good pets. They have lots of character. Unfortunately, they are not pets if you have them for eggs, then they must go into the soup after they stop laying eggs. And our neighbour says you don't put pets in the pot, but we will.