So why do people raise poultry? (A Summary)

As a team here at Purely Poultry, we’re always exploring why people raise poultry. This is an important question for us as we work to make our website as useful and interesting as possible for our customers.

I have been raising a variety of poultry for many years, and I can rattle off a ton of reasons for raising poultry on my small organic farm. I sell eggs, I teach classes on raising poultry, I use the manure for the compost for my vegetable garden which produces veggies and herbs and cut flowers for my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. The first big use of poultry I saw when I got my first flock of young pullets 14 years ago was in my berry patch. I cleaned out the coop and because I had been using the deep bedding method, simply dumped the wheelbarrow loads of bedding directly around the base of my 50 raspberry plants. That year I was absolutely amazed and shocked at how well those raspberry plants produced. It really made me feel sure that getting the chickens was worth it. Then they started laying the best eggs ever! I was completely sold and don’t think I’ll ever live without poultry in my life!

Chickens are also really attractive – I have always loved feathers and colors, and I find my birds to be quite inspirational for painting and drawing. They add so much to the farm – a whole other level of interest and excitement and interactivity. Their sounds are great – I love the crowing of the roosters and even the crazy peafowl sounds, and sometimes I can even like Mr. Loud-Mouth Tom Turkey!

I also have fallen in love with the personalities of my birds. They are so relaxing and entertaining to watch and observe. Plus, as I watch them foraging through the lawn and garden, I know that they are eating bugs including ticks. After we lost our dog, our female Red Bourbon turkey, Nessie (named after the Loch Ness Monster), has been coming in the house. I think she has actually filled emotional gaps left by our dog’s absence!

Every year I also raise some birds for meat. And I love breeding my own poultry and watching the chicks hatch and mature.

Raising poultry is becoming more and more popular and more and more wonderful and exciting breeds and species of poultry are becoming available. I think, in the near future, we will be finding more and more reasons why people have decided to include poultry in their lives.