By Megan Hanson, NDFB Director of Member Relations
Chickens have been a part of human life for centuries, mostly as a source of eggs and meat, but also as creatures with unique personalities and quirks. I’ve raised chickens for a year and discovered that my feathered friends have more to offer than meets the eye. So, I thought I’d share a few stories from my experience highlighting the curious, humorous, and surprising moments I’ve encountered with my chickens.
One of the most unexpected truths I learned early on was that chickens can be quite the Houdinis when they decide to lay their eggs in places other than their nests. This led to what I fondly call “The Great Egg Hunt.” Every evening gets turned into a treasure hunt, searching high and low in every nook and cranny of the yard, coop, and run. The most bizarre location? Finding an egg nestled within the folds of an old garden hose. It became a game, not just for me but for the chickens as well, who seem to watch with amusement as I scour the garden each day.
Among my flock is a hen I named Houdina, following the tradition of the great escape artist Harry Houdini. Houdina has an indomitable spirit and seems to believe she is not bound by the same rules as her coop mates. She routinely manages to escape the run, no matter how often I reinforce it. But Houdina doesn’t escape to run away. She simply prances around the coop, teasing the other chickens through the fence, only to find her way back in when she decides it is time. Houdina’s favorite out-of-the-coop activity is to run the yard with a set of Guinea Hens I have, terrorizing the dogs with their flapping wings and loud crows. It is a daily reminder that determination often finds a way.
Chickens are often seen as simple farm animals, but I found a depth to them that was both surprising and touching. One chicken, in particular, became my shadow while doing chores in the mornings and evenings. Her name is Chicken Parm; she enjoys sitting on the arm of a lawn chair and just sitting with me outside as we watch the other chickens roam the yard.
Raising chickens turned out to be more than a personal endeavor; it became a community affair, from unloading my overabundance of eggs to my in-laws, friends, and coworkers to inviting friends and their kids over to play and see them. Being able to help them learn where their food comes from has been wonderful. Close friends and family adults also rekindled a connection with their food sources, as we also raise Cornish cross-meat birds and harvest them ourselves for home-raised meat. My chickens, which started out as a small hobby, became a bridge, fostering connections and nurturing a sense of community responsibility and care.
My venture into poultry keeping has been one of the most fun decisions I have made. Chickens, with their quirky characters and surprising intelligence, have taught me lessons in responsibility, the joy of simple pleasures, and the importance of community. Whether you’re considering chickens of your own or just enjoy stories from the coop, I hope you find joy and perhaps a bit of inspiration in my feathered tales.
(This article first appeared on My NDFB Life, NDFB's staff blog.)