Eat, scratch, lay, repeat. Chickens live a simple life. The relationship we share with them is amazing; we give them food and they give us food back. But, for some people, it goes deeper than that because we have love for them. 

As we all know, chickens are descendants of dinosaurs. But they definitely don’t seem like it no big with scary teeth, just a small body frame, covered in feathers and cute feet. Not only that, but all chickens have different personalities. A common personality trait for chickens is arrogance. I call  these birds drama chickens. They cause drama among the flock and pick on others. Other chickens are shy, they are usually too scared to wander away from the flock and tend to roost all day where they are safe.  Lastly, the  adventurers are always curious about the outside world and aren’t afraid of dogs. 

Because of the different personalities, chickens tend to form cliques. The drama chickens tend to be more of the leaders and the “ mean girls”. They stick together, and if they get separated they will crow, and you’ll think something bad is happening, but trust me it’s just because the clique got separated. The shy chickens don’t have cliques mainly because they get picked on. But because of their hardships they tend to be the most loving chickens. There are usually a few adventurers in the flock, and they wander very far, but will always find their way home. They are so curious and sweet, and, if you’re outside, they will follow you anywhere you go. 

The next best thing about chickens is that you can name them. I mean who doesn’t love to name things. Personally, my chickens are named after rock stars and eighties rock bands. Yes, I have a chicken named Cher. I also have four chickens named after fall spices: pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and spice. Some chickens have fun feathers or hair-dos which makes it even more fun to name them. But their personalities play a role in this too. For example I have a chicken who has a little afro, but since she is so sweet and lays green eggs she gets the name Greenie. 

Chickens have a unique aspect about them, scratch. They have to scratch at the ground, or they will go crazy. So hence why chickens have a food product called scratch that has starches and carbohydrates in them for protein and warmth. They do this all day long. It is incredible to watch; they just scratch and eat. One of my favorite things to do is sit down and watch them. It brings me such a calm sense. Like most of us do we cuddle up with our dogs and pet them, but cuddling up with chickens is way more fun. 

And finally the best thing is snuggling them and petting them. It’s almost as good as petting a dog. They always have soft feathers and cute eyes that look at you. Giving them a hand full of scratch while you hold them lifts your, and their spirits.

 Another chicken-related task that can bring joy is decorating their chicken coop. We decorate our homes so we should decorate their homes. For instance, I put bows on the front of my chicken coop and I get cute signs from the dollar store. An easy way to make their homes look cute. 

Fruita Monument high school student Bridge Mcclure states that “ They are really good to have, not just that you get eggs from them but they also help with the garden. They are also really cute and sweet.” 

So, if you’re considering  getting chickens, take the leap of faith and buy them. In the long run, they will fill you with endless love and laughter, which we can all use a little bit more of.