My neighbor called my chickens 'just pets' and it made me stop and think

We were talking over the fence yesterday and she saw me cleaning the coop. She said, 'You put so much work into those birds, but they're just pets, right?' I've had my five hens for about two years now, and I guess I never really put a label on it. I spend maybe $30 a month on feed and treats, and I get eggs, but that's not really the point anymore. It's more about the routine and watching their little flock behaviors. It hit different because she made it sound like a hobby, but it feels more like a small part of the household, you know? Has anyone else had someone not get why you do all this for chickens?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty_reed612mo agoMost Upvoted

My neighbor said the same thing about my compost bin last year. She called it a dirt hobby. But turning scraps into soil for my tomatoes feels like closing a loop in my own yard. It’s not a hobby, it’s a tiny system. The chickens are part of that too, eating bugs and making fertilizer. Calling them just pets misses how they fit into the whole picture.

jason1122mo ago

Exactly. It's a small farm, not a hobby. Everything works together. People just see the parts.