Lets limit ourselves to the topic of backyard chickens and not some large scale operation of running a commercial chicken farm. What leads to a hard decision to stop raising chickens?

Just like with any hobby, because raising backyard chickens is a hobby, it comes from the misalignment between initial expectations and reality. Some of us do not really have clear expectations of how raising chickens would look like, how much time and effort it would require and also what the economics of raising chickens would look like.

Other reasons which may lead to a decision to stop raising chickens may come from unexpected changes in life, such as getting a job in a new place, physical injury, or simply old age (the last of which may not be such an unexpected change but is also one of the important factors).

Since changes in life's circumstances is not something that can be foreseen or changed, for the purpose of this article, we are mainly focused on the first aspect - that of the misalignment between expectations and reality, as a root cause of abandoning the hobby of raising backyard chickens.

The first and the most important thing is to be very clear on the reason that led to your decision of keeping backyard chickens. If your main driver to keep chickens is pure profitability, at a scale of 10-50 chickens, this is very unlikely to happen. The main driver has to be beyond the financials. It should be your eagerness to take up a new hobby, one that will also provide psychological benefits, beyond getting the actual product from your chickens - be it meat or eggs, or both.

Just like any hobby, chicken keeping requires time, but the time invested in a hobby should not feel like a chore, if it is an actual hobby. You will want to subscribe to magazines and engage in forums to learn more about chicken keeping. You will constantly be learning and trying new things and you'll be switching between a wide range of topics from construction and mechanical work that can be done on a coop, to more bio-scientific topics such as tweaking your birds nutrition and optimizing their health. If this sounds about right, then you're ready to get into chicken keeping.

Here're some of the most frequent misalignments between expectations and reality:

1) "I eventually got kind of sick of eggs" - This has nothing to do with your love for chickens. There's such a thing as too much of a good thing. And even having free-range, healthy and tasty eggs in abundant supply is something one can get too much of, especially if you don't have anyone to gift it or sell it to.

2) "I am not able to commit as much time anymore" - Chickens do not require that much time commitment but they do require constant commitment. Beyond a daily minimum of 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening, you'll be researching various topics, fighting occasional diseases, cleaning the coop (The amount of time cleaning the coop requires depends on the coop structure and bedding, so it goes from a weekly task to semi-annual for some) and over a long period of time, this kind of lifestyle becomes unsustainable for some of us. If you are thinking of taking a long holiday, it may not be easy to find someone willing to take up the daily tasks of letting chickens out in the morning, checking in on the water, feed, eggs, throughout the day, locking them up at night, followed by checking in on the coop daily and cleaning it over the weekend. If you add up baby chicks to this, the task becomes even more difficult and the time required to be put in gets even longer, but this is why getting a few pullets instead can get the job done instead of raising small baby chicks.

3) "I have a problem culling my chickens" - Chickens will not be laying eggs for their entire life. They will live for about 10 years, depending on the breed and living conditions, but they will lay eggs only for about 2 or 3 years, after which they may stop laying eggs completely or their egg production will decrease. If you are able to look at it rationally, the best time to cull a chicken would be around the age of 3 or 4 years old but many find it very hard to do so. And not just because the process of doing so is emotionally draining for some but also because at first the task of de-feathering a chicken and preparing it doesn't just come naturally but has to be learned.

4) "When we got our baby, we became more afraid of the diseases chickens might carry" - Although not very likely to happen, Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria can be transmitted from chickens to babies and kids. Younger kids below 5 are at a higher risk of contracting diseases from chickens. Besides these, chickens, like any other animal carry other diseases which are spread around through their droppings, feathers etc. It does not help that chicken feed is also a magnet for rats, the extent of which also depends on the area where you live.

5) "Whatever I did with my coop, predators would find a way to get in and kill my hens" - This is very unfortunate, and depending on where you live, store-bought coops may not suffice. You might need some improvisation skills and you could use a handy man in your home for this. Racoons seem to be quite skillful in digging tiny holes into your coop so your coop needs to have extra protection.

**Having a good coop is so important because apart from keeping predators away it can help you protect your birds from wind, rain, sun and cold (though some believe heaters are not needed, this depends on the breed). A good coop can also prevent your chickens getting sick because of poor ventilation, the frequency of which is often underestimated.

6) "They poop everywhere!" - Chickens do poop everywhere and this is not something that can be changed. If you have free ranging chickens there is not much you can do about this besides ensuring that at least your house doors are closed.

7) "The chickens destroyed my garden" - Yes, chickens will not be as proud of your garden flowers, herbs or vegetables and fruits you planted. They will peck holes in stems, eat the plants, dig out seedlings. And maybe you are ok with this, but if your chickens go to your neighbors' and destroy their garden, your neighbors may not have as much understanding for your birds. You can however try and treat them with some eggs. Speaking of neighbors, we didn't list down noisy roosters as one of the reasons people stop raising chickens but the relationship between your neighbors and your rooster is definitely something to think about.

Seasonal variations occur in many locations, affecting all living creatures, including chickens. These months of fluctuating weather conditions make birds more sensitive and vulnerable to a variety of factors.

To keep our birds healthy and comfortable throughout the year, we must be aware of what each weather brings with it as well as how to best support our birds throughout it.

tl;dr version of the article in three bullet points below :) 

1) Rainy weather – pay attention to the bodies of stagnant water which can result in pathogen infection.

2) Cold weather – while chickens are quite resilient to low temperatures, weather below freezing will need some sort of heating setup in your coop. Shorter days may also impact egg production negatively.

3) Hot weather – ensure plentiful cold water and even frozen treats for birds to refresh themselves as well as a cool place in a shade where they can spend their day.

Rainy Weather

Rainy weather brings with it a great shift in birds’ eating pattern as temperature cools down. The birds usually prefer to remain hidden during this season as they will be trying to avoid the rain. The most critical thing to be on the lookout for is that your birds may encounter bodies of stagnant water which could be harmful if ingested. This is because drinking stagnant water can result in pathogen infection.

The best thing to do during rainy weather is to keep your birds away from the rain in a sheltered area and ensure to clean up any stagnant water that might have accumulated from the rain.

Cold Weather

What we consider to be cold weather may not be so for chickens. Chickens are fairly resilient to cold as long as we are talking about temperatures above freezing. Anything beyond that means that you need to invest in a solution to ensure comfortable temperature is maintained in your coop and there are plenty of heaters that can help you to achieve this. 

Both the low temperatures and shorter days coupled together may cause your chickens to produce less eggs so providing them with essential nutrients and adequately warm shelter will help to address this problem.

Hot Weather

Chickens, just like us, can get more easily agitated during hot weather so don't stress your birds too much :) Unfortunately hot weather is the time during which lice and mites strive and they can pose a threat to your birds.

The things you can do are to ensure your chickens have a place to wash and cool down and provide them with plenty of water bowls refilled regularly. For mice and lice, you may increase the frequency of coop washing as well as add some garlic to your birds diet in an effort to avoid your birds being attracted by these parasites.

What You Can Do Outside of Seasonal and Weather Extremes?

Spring tends to be the most pleasant season for your birds, a season when both your birds and your garden is thriving. This is also the season which marks the best time to hatch and raise chickens as the temperature is just how it should be. When the days lengthen again in the spring, chicken production will increase compared to the dark winter days. Since the weather is considered ideal not just for chickens but for us as well, it also makes for a good time to do some work in the garden, as well as to clean up the mess that autumn and winter have left behind, with no distractions such as falling leaves or rain pouring into your backyard.

However, it is also the season for your flocks to suffer from broodiness. So try to get them out of their nesting boxes as much as possible and ensure they get more light to help end the bad case of broodiness.

Conclusion

Each weather and season bring with it a set of unique challenges and things to look out for. To keep your flock healthy and comfortable throughout the year, be aware of all seasonal situations and keep observing them for any unexpected behavior. They, too, have their mood swings which are both hormonal and affected by weather. Your birds will go through various challenges and behavioral changes, and while we most of us are not trained psychiatrists, you are likely going to be able to help support them through these different phases.

There are hundreds of chicken breeds across the world, and you've probably seen some of them. However, several chicken breeds have stood out due to their appearance as well as their egg and meat producing capacities. Here we will cover five interesting breeds although there are so many other interesting chicken breeds.

Some of these chicken breeds have achieved recognition and even become cultural icons in their respective countries. Note that the five are not listed in any particular order since they are all equally interesting. So, lets get started:

#1 La Flèche

This breed of Chicken is known for its purposes of providing rich meat and eggs. Because of its arrow-shaped comb, it got its name from the French term, "la flèche", which translates to "the arrow". La Flèche is believed to have originated in the 15th century around La Flèche, Sarthe. La Flèche is well-known for the superb quality of its meat.

#2 Onagadori

Every chicken breed has a distinguishing trait that sets it apart. Onagadori's long, beautiful tail is one of its most remarkable features. Onagadori comes from Japan, and because of its protected status its eggs are not allowed to be exported. Due to its specificity, only the most pampered and well-cared-for roosters can keep their feathers and long tail. Although you may find a few nowadays since they are on the verge of being extinct, Onagadoris used to be exported before becoming protected species and a cultural icon in Japan.

#3 Frizzle Chicken

Its name was derived from the term "frizzling", which occurs when the feather curls upward and outward away from the body. Frizzle Chicken is said to have originated in Asia, more precisely in Far East Asia. This breed is not uncommon and was first mentioned in the 1600s. Frizzle Chickens make good pets but are very delicate and prone to numerous health issues, which often limits their life span. They are kept more as ornamental pets than for their eggs or meat, although they do produce eggs.

#4 Sebright Chicken

This breed is one of the earliest and most popular British bantams. Sebright Chicken as a breed was first mentioned around the 1800s and named after its breeder, Sir John Saunders Sebright. Sebrights are notable for their size and lace-patterned plumage. Although it is unique because of its appearance, it is not suitable for beginner chicken keepers, as it has a below average ability to produce good eggs and meat.

#5 Mille Fleur d’Uccle Chicken

This breed is probably one of the most visually-pleasing chicken breeds. Aside from their attractive appearance, Mille Fleurs, whose name means thousand flowers in French, make excellent companions since they like being handled and have a friendly demeanor. The downside of this breed is that it doesn't lay many eggs. However, their companionship as pets compensates for their poor egg productivity.

Conclusion

These chicken breeds have earned their place among the most interesting breeds from around the world. Although they might be appealing in terms of their traits and characteristics, there are weaknesses and shortcomings. All chicken breeds hold important characteristics that make them special. However, It would be wonderful to shine a focus on these breeds as unusual and distinctive breeds worldwide.