When I was young, my parents owned chickens, we had about twenty and a rooster who thought he owned the world! I loved them - they weren’t typical pets, but they were just great companions, and it was a thrill being able to collect all of the eggs every day. I never tired of it! My sister and I were on a rotation - alternate days, and the day when it was her turn was excruciating. I would try and convince her to let me collect them. (Usually without success!)

Now I have kids of my own and we don’t live in a semi-rural area, but my daughter has been showing a real interest in having a pet, and I’ve been thinking of getting a few chickens for most of the reasons you listed here. You may just have convinced me to look into it a bit more seriously - particularly because of the rising egg costs.

Thank you for taking me on a trip down memory lane!