Chickens were always something that framers had. In my mind dogs, cats, and maybe my hedgehog were the only pets for me. I never knew that chickens were actually popular to keep and loved by their owners. There are some topics of owning chickens that cause argument like if killing them for meat, having them as pets, or letting your chickens do whatever they want is right. But in my opinion, I think these highly versatile animals make great pets and I treat them like my dogs.
- Chickens come in breeds
Like dogs, chickens come in breeds and many owners collect rare breeds for their show stock, yes there are shows for chickens, they are different in their looks and personality and deciding which one to get depends on many factors.
Weather is a big factor. When you are in cold places you want breeds that can survive. Big feathered birds are best so they can keep themselves warm. If it always rains make sure not to get silkies because they can’t get wet.
Eggs are another thing to consider. Contrary to popular belief, not all chickens lay the same color or amount of eggs. For example, my Easter eager Kiwi lays blue eggs. But one chicken only lays one color. My Cochin Plum lays very few small brown eggs, about half the amount Kiwi does.
Personality, especially when chickens are kept as pets is important. If you want them to be more snuggly and people friendly getting them when they are really young can help. Hold them when they are young and get them used to you. My three chickens I had when they were chicks come right up to me when I open the gate. They let me pick them up, and enjoy sitting and sometimes sleeping on my lap. One of the best breeds for this is Australorps, Licorice, because they are beautiful big black birds with a calm personality. They also lay 5-6 times a week.
2. Chickens can fly
Well not fly but close to it. I was taught that chickens can’t fly but once Kiwi got her wings she was flying over our 6 ft gate. Then when my grandmother’s dog went to attack her she jumped up on our 8ft fence to get away. Licorice did the same, hopping into a tree. What happened to 4-6 ft like every chicken website says? We had to get a higher gate, and they haven’t hopped over the fence, but they can.
There is also the opposite problem. Chickens dig for food, but they also dig under fences and gates. Not to mention they can fit under spaces so small you will be surprised when they do. Chicken proofing a space is hard, so get to it!
3. Chickens need a proper coop and space
We have moved our chickens around a lot. But finally we settled on the corner of our yard and we blocked off the area. Why not let them go into your entire yard? Chickens want to go where they want to go, but after putting Kiwi back countless times she learned to stay there. If you let them go everywhere, things get destroyed, plants and gardens get eaten, patios got pooped on, and dirt went everywhere. So we decided this was best, and because the space is so large we felt comfortable with them being there.
Their poop is another thing, if you have other pets like dogs, and they like eating anything then this is very very bad. Because my chickens were pooping on the patio, the dogs would then eat the poop, or maybe even the chicken food. They can get very sick from this and mine started to throw up. Beware!
The coop is hard. If you don’t get the right coop your chickens could be eaten, too crowded, lay their eggs in poop, or just be unhappy. The right coop depends on how many chickens you have and your wallet. Our coop from Farm&yard was pretty expensive but we have also never had a chicken eaten or hurt. The most important things are a run, perch, nesting boxes, and ventilation. I will write another post about our coop in more detail.
The most important things in their environment is dirt for dust bathing, shade, things to climb on, food, several water feeders, and grass, lots of grass.
4. Chickens take dust baths
Chickens do the funniest things, one being bathing in dirt. To clean themselves they filter dirt through their feathers in a hole they made. Chickens never take actual baths unless they are for show or if they get pooped on. Most chickens hate water and drown easily. There are videos of chickens in kiddie pools but this is not accurate, even in the summer they don’t like water.
Keeping chickens cool, especially when you live in a place that’s 110 in the summer is really hard. Many owners leave them to cool themselves or don’t check on them. But that’s not me, I love to spoil, cuddle and enjoy all the quirky behavior that chickens have. So in the summer, I set up ice water buckets and containers, like 4-5, ice blocks as snacks, and air conditioning later in the afternoon on the patio. Heat stress is real, signs of this are panting and moving wings away from the body. Dust baths help chickens stay cool!
5. Chickens and what they eat
I feed my chickens feed I buy, but some people make theirs. The age of a chicken determines what feed they get. It goes starter feed, grower feed, and then layer feed. Some added things to think about are grit, oyster shells, scratch, and snacks. My chickens love snacks, fruits like peaches and apples, and also foods like cabbage and herbs. Chickens main food is grass but most can’t just live off that, you want to include the right protein and pellet size because they don’t have teeth!
Grit and oyster shell are for digestion, making their eggshells harder, and overall health. One way to make this for free is crushed up egg shells, those are free and work just as great. Because I free range my chickens from 6:30 am-7 pm they get a lot of bugs, small rocks, that aid in digestion. If you are like me, this is optional but if you have ever gotten an egg without a shell then this is something to try.
Are chickens right for you? Read my other chicken posts to find out!
Hadley's Hues 