How many people keep chickens?

Hi jugjugs, two of my friends both keep hens for the eggs but don't as don't like the smell they produce, plus the likelihood of something coming along in the night and eating them which to prevent would involve the construction of a large hen house. They seem to be quite a bind as well as one must be there at least twice a day to let them out and then make sure they all go back to bed once the house has had a good washing out. So I prefer to just eat the eggs from my friends hens.

I have always found raising chickens to be a very enjoyable hobby. I've also kept ducks, turkeys, and geese, and I have almost always had a positive experience. I must say, though, that they are not terribly intelligent creatures, but I guess you can't have everything.

My parents, living in the country side, keep chicken for both their eggs and meat. We have always had chicken and geese. They are much easier to keep than pigs, not to mention one chicken supplies the right amount of meat for one or two days' food, unlike the pigs, whose meat comes in much larger quantities and must therefore be processed and preserved. Not to mention the chicken meat is much healthier than pork.

If I could I would keep chickens for bug control and eggs, we have to many predators around here that think you raise chickens just for them. I would not raise chickens for food, free range chickens are just to tough to eat, you need to slow cook them or pressure cook them. Besides it's hard to eat something you name and I name all our farm critters.

My grandmother used to keep chickens a very long time ago. I don't know anyone who keeps chickens today.