10 Amazing Reasons Why You Should Keep Chickens As Pets

You are considering the possibility of keeping chickens as pets, right?

If you are unfamiliar with the practice of raising chickens, you might be wondering why you would want to do so if you can simply go to the supermarket to buy fresh eggs instead of keeping chickens as pets.

Aside from the obvious benefit of having a constant supply of eggs that are good for you and fresh, keeping chickens as pets is beneficial for a variety of other reasons as well.

Keeping chickens as pets can be a rewarding hobby that the whole family can take part in and enjoy together.

Stressful job?

You are going to find that having chickens as pets is not only relaxing, but also enjoyable, and it will surprise you how entertaining it can be.

Chickens are not only great pets, but they are also good for your yard and pay for their care by laying fresh, tasty, and healthy eggs. Think it costs a lot to keep chickens?

It’s the other way around! Chickens are cheap and won’t take up much of your time or money, unlike some other pets. All your chickens in the garden need is a little bit of care every day, and they live happy, healthy lives.

People often say that chickens are the “most important” animal for a farm.

Why?

Not only do they make great eggs, but they can also be a great source of fertilizer, meat, eggs, and even free weeding services.

People often forget that chickens are also great pets to have on a homestead.

People who keep chickens in their backyards can learn a little bit more about life and sustainability, and they can also enjoy a number of other benefits that no other animal can give.

Want to find out more?

Here are all the reasons that you must consider raising chickens as pets– along with ideas for starting and the very best breeds for you to think about.

Why Chickens as Pets?

Are Chickens Good Pets?

11 Reasons Why We Think YES!

Here are some reasons we believe that chickens as pets are fantastic:

1. Chickens as pets have remarkable characters

If you’ve ever taken care of a flock of chickens, you probably already know that each bird has its own personality.

Each chicken will have a different shape, pattern, color, way of moving, and habits to show off.

Many people call their chickens “backyard chickens,” and we believe them. You’ll enjoy spoiling your chickens with treats and affection every now and then.

You might think chickens are only used to make food. They aren’t just for eating. You can also play with and watch them as pets. Some even keep them as pets to help them calm down.

Chickens are cute, and they will be happy if you feed and play with them. You should give them a lot of room to run around and play. Your chickens will be happy, and they’ll like spending time with you.

2. An endless supply of eggs when you have chickens as pets!

We all like having dogs, cats, fish, or maybe even reptiles as pets. Yes, these animals provide lots of love and enjoyable times.

What other kind of animal can you raise that will give you something useful?

No pets, except for the chicken, of course.

If you’re thinking about getting a pet, you should know that backyard chickens can give you eggs. Even though the chickens are great, you don’t have to buy them. You just need a few minutes to gather the eggs.

Just put your own chickens out in the open air and let them run around as they please. In the morning, you can take a break to sit and watch your chickens.

While you are gathering the eggs, it can be fun to watch your chickens. You can do this whenever you want.

Raising chickens is very easy. You just need to set up some coops and let the chickens free range. Then, when you want eggs, all you have to do is go outside and get them. You can simply put the eggs in a basket

Once you’ve eaten chicken eggs that were just laid minutes ago instead of eggs that were weeks or months old from the store, you’ll never want to go back.

Also, pasture-raised eggs are better for you than eggs from chickens raised in a factory farm because they are raised on green grass and get lots of sunlight.

The yolks will be bright orange instead of pale yellow, which shows how healthy the eggs are.

They will have more vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin A, as well as omega-3 fats.

They also have less cholesterol and hydrogenated fat.

Oh, and you don’t need a rooster to get eggs!

During cold weather or when your birds are molting, you may notice a short drop in laying or even a stop. But other than that, you can get eggs all year long.

3. Chickens as pets help to fertilize your garden

If you have a garden, you may have wondered how you can improve the health of your plants without using artificial fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals that could be dangerous.

If you feed and care for a chicken, she gives you more than just eggs in return.

Chickens are also a great way to get organic fertilizer.

Getting a pet chicken is the best way to make your garden healthier. Having chickens in your garden is a great idea. They help your garden grow better and are easier to take care of than rabbits or guinea pigs.

Chickens are easy to care for and feed. This makes taking care of them easy. They also help your garden grow because they poop everywhere. The natural fertilizer that chickens make is called “manure,” and it is full of nitrogen and other nutrients.

The best part is that you don’t have to use any chemicals. It’s easy to get the manure, and you can put it right on your garden beds. All you have to do is pick it up and spread it out in your garden. It’s an easy thing to do.

Chickens like being able to go where they want, and letting them do this helps get rid of bugs that you don’t want in your yard.

Not only can chickens get rid of grubs, earwigs, and beetles, which can hurt your plants, but they can also get rid of snakes and small rodents. But they will also use their work to make safe fertilizer.

Even though you should be careful about how much and when you use chicken manure in your garden because it is high in nitrogen and can burn your plants if you use too much, it is safe to use in any setting.

Also, chickens like to eat grass, so they will cut down on the amount of mowing and weeding you have to do.

They will also eat worms, bugs, ticks, and other bugs that you don’t want in your yard.

4. Anybody can have a small flock of chickens as pets

You can keep chickens as pets no matter where you live.

Some places have zoning laws that limit how many birds you can have, and others have rules about roosters. There are also a few other rules about keeping chickens as pets in your backyard.

This is very different from raising animals like goats or pigs, which can be hard to do in some places.

In some places, it is against the law to have a chicken as a pet. To keep a chicken as a pet, you need a permit or license in most places.

Some people don’t like chickens, so they don’t want them as pets. But many people enjoy watching them and love the fresh eggs they lay.

If you want to keep chickens as pets, you need to give them the best conditions you can. You should build a hen house as your first step. Some places have rules about how big your coop can be, but in most places, you can build any kind of chicken coop you want.

When you get your chickens home, you should set up the nesting boxes so they can lay their eggs.

5. They supply low-cost bugs and pests control

We’ve already said that chickens will hunt bugs in your garden. But they really don’t know any limits and will also take care of bugs in other parts of your home or business.

Chickens will eat anything from crickets to ants to mosquito larvae, and you don’t even have to teach them to do so. It’s all on the spot!

They will even eat the bugs that most people don’t like, like spiders, snakes, and mice.

There is a way to get rid of flies, bugs, and other pests that are bothering you in your home or garden. You can get rid of pests by using chickens. Bugs are a good food for these birds.

You don’t have to teach them to kill bugs. They’ll do it by themselves. They will eat any kind of pest you give them. They don’t have to learn anything. All they need is something to eat.

They have everything they need. They will get rid of any bugs that are in your home or garden.

Chickens have to eat everything that fits in their beaks, so they will eat anything.

Also, unlike some other family pets (whose names we won’t mention), they won’t feel the need to drag their meal to your doorstep to show it off.

6. They are remarkable if you have children

Getting your kids a flock of chickens as pets is a good way to teach them good things.

They can help your kids learn more about responsibility as well as the value of work and effort.

When you raise chickens as pets, you get to see the results of your work every day. When your kids see that taking care of an animal can have big benefits, they’ll learn that there are some things in life that are worth doing themselves.

If you have a chickens as pets, it can also teach your kids more about how important life is.

Not only are they cheap, but they’re also one of the easiest animals to raise from a baby to an adult. They can teach your kids a lot about basic biology, bird behavior, and the cycle of life.

One of the most common pets is a chicken. It can open up a lot of doors for your child. A chicken, for example, can show them the difference between working hard and being lazy.

When a child helps take care of a chicken, it teaches him that it pays to work hard for what you want in life. He can use the chicken to remind himself to work hard and not be lazy.

It can also show him that hard workers get good things in life.

He will learn that to get what he wants in life, he has to work hard. If a child gets a chicken as a pet, he will get a lot out of taking care of it.

It will help him to exercise and stay active. It will also give him a chance to learn new things and become a more mature, responsible adult.

7. They offer you something to do with your leftovers when you have chickens as pets

Have you ever cooked something and thought, “Ugh? Not my finest work.”

Chances are, you felt bad about throwing it away, so you had to let it go bad in the fridge because you didn’t want to waste food, even though no one was ever going to eat it.

Chickens are an excellent choice for this typical problem.

You don’t have to feel bad if you let food go bad in the fridge or throw away leftovers you don’t want.

Chickens can eat almost anything you don’t want, even meat.

Feeding your chickens leftovers like raw eggs, onion, garlic, chocolate, or food that is too rotten, salty, sweet, or musty is not a good idea.

8. They’ll carry out double-duty in cleaning up your garden

If you have a big vegetable garden, cleaning up at the end of the growing season can be an overwhelming task.

And between pulling weeds, adding mulch, getting rid of dead plants, and turning your garden compost, you have a long list of things to do all year.

Chickens can help make these jobs easier.

They will get into your garden compost pile and turn it for you, looking for tasty bugs and microbes as they do so.

They will eat the weeds that grow between your plants, but you will need to be careful because they will also eat other plants in your garden, like your beans.

Even at the end of the season, chickens can help you out.

If you let them free range in your garden for a few days, they will work the soil and turn any weed seeds or dead plants under.

They will also eat any leftover plant parts or fruits, and at the same time, they will fertilize your garden for free.

9. They’re low-maintenance and economical to raise

Chickens are much easier to care than dogs or cats in many ways.

They don’t need to be taken for walks or groomed (although raising chickens for exhibit functions, you might need to do some clipping or cleansing from time to time).

Even feeding them twice a day is not necessary.

If you have automatic or gravity-fed feeders and waterers, you may only need to fill up the hoppers and drinkers once a week (or perhaps less).

A flock can be kept in the back yard by anyone.

Most of the time, you don’t have to pay for veterinary costs, and if you do, you can make up for it by selling a few of your extra eggs.

Raising chickens is less work than raising a dog and a cat, but it’s a lot harder to go on a trip or stay away from home when you have chickens.

All you need is someone to check on the birds once or twice a week and give them more food. Talk about a pet that doesn’t need much care!

Chickens are great pets for kids and adults who like to hang out with animals in their free time. Since they are friendly, it’s fun to have them around. They are easy to care for pets.

They don’t need to be cleaned, fed, or walked. Most of the time, all you have to do to see how they are doing is check on them. Chickens are also very cheap to raise. It doesn’t cost much to feed them, and they lay a lot of eggs.

Some of the eggs can be sold in a store or used to make money. They are also good pets because they like to be with people. If you want a pet that you can keep at home, you can start raising chickens.

It’s much easier than taking care of a dog or cat. They don’t need to be fed or taken for walks.

10. You can have more control over where your food came from

If you want to live a more sustainable life, there’s no better way than to buy a flock of chickens or even just one chicken to raise at home.

You won’t have to pay cash for eggs that come from the middle of the country.

You won’t have to take as much trash to the dump either, since you can feed your chickens a lot of the waste from your garden and kitchen.

If you want to know for sure where your eggs come from in the morning, raise chickens as pets.

There are many good things about knowing this, like the fact that you won’t have to worry about whether your chicken was raised in an ethical way or if it was exposed to a lot of chemicals as it grew up.

Plus, chickens who are raised commercially are frequently raised in bad conditions.

Even when these birds are supposedly raised in “cage-free,” “natural,” or “free-range” settings, they are often kept in small spaces. Not when you have a chicken as a family pet in your backyard.

Want food that is not genetically customized? Raised without being cruel? Organic. You’ve got it.

You’re in charge of every step of the process, and there’s something to be said for that.

11. Yes, they can be trained!

Chickens are smart, even though some people think they are not.

Chickens are easy to train and teach to do tricks. Sometimes you can even teach them to do things on command.

Chickens can even remember and recognize many different faces.

All you need is a lot of treats and a little bit of patience.

Chickens are smart, that’s a given trait. They can count, recognize faces, remember things, and know what a reward and a punishment are. But there are a lot of people who have to think that they are stupid.

They don’t think chickens can learn or do anything. This is wrong. Just like dogs, chickens are very smart animals. They can learn a lot of tricks, but it will take some training. The reason for this is that chickens are very smart.

Finest Breeds to Raise Chickens as Pets

If you’re looking for a chicken breed that will help you live as sustainably as possible, these are some of the best ones to consider.

Silkies:

These chickens are kind, caring, and even a little cuddly. As small birds with fuzzy feathers, they aren’t known for making great eggs or meat, but they make great pets.

The Silky is a great pet to have at home or on a farm. They are friendly, kind, and loving. They like attention and will follow you around the house. You can teach them tricks, and they’ll do them for you. They have soft, silky feathers.

There’s no question that Silkies are friendly and cute. But these chickens do more than just lay eggs. They are also great pets for people who want to raise a flock of cute, fluffy chickens.

Barred Plymouth Rocks:

This chicken, which also has beautiful feathers, is calm, friendly, and smart. It will also lay a lot of eggs for you, up to 250 a year.

The Barred Plymouth Rock is a friendly, smart, and easy-to-take-care-of bird. These chickens are known for their large, shiny, brown-feathered combs, and they will happily eat a variety of seeds, insects, and grains.

They are also good mothers, and can raise a lot of chicks at once.

Orpingtons:

Orpingtons are great for backyard chicken cages because they lay up to 200 eggs a year and are easy to care for. But they also like to be held and showered with attention.

The Orpington is a type of chicken that was created in England in the late 1800s. They were raised to lay a lot of high-quality white eggs, which is why they were bred that way.

They are also very friendly and easy to take care of. They are known for their large size and beautiful feathers.

OrpingtonsAustralorps:

These chickens are great at laying eggs, and they are also good with kids. With their shiny black plumes, they also look beautiful.

Australorps are one of the most popular types of chickens you can buy today. They are known for their beautiful feathers and for laying a lot of eggs. This breed was made in Australia, and along with laying great eggs, they are known for having great meat.

The Australorp is a breed of chicken that can be used for both eggs and meat. Because they are friendly and easygoing, they are also good with kids.

Cochins:

These chickens are small and do well in a small space. They are also easy to take care of.

Cochins are small, tight-bodied chickens with big, fat tails. They are friendly and love to be noticed.

If you’ve never had a chicken as a pet before, these are the ones for you. They are good for people who are just starting out because they are easy to take care of and don’t need much space.

Wyandotte:

Wyandottes have some of the most interesting personalities and do pretty well when they are locked up. They are great parents and very gentle, which makes them great birds to have as pets.

Wyandottes are very smart, and they also have a lot of personality. They are friendly and loving, and their feathers make them look beautiful. Even though they can be hard to care for, they are beautiful birds.

Polish:

Egg production is not particularly high among Polish chickens due to their poor laying abilities. On the other hand, taking a look at them is a fascinating experience!

The roosters in question sport beards in addition to voluminous tufts of feathers on the crowns of their heads. They are exceptionally tame and make wonderful additions to a flock kept in a backyard or other outdoor setting.

Having Polish chickens around the house is sure to add a good dose of hilarity. They are extremely pleasant to talk to and fascinating people.

If you have the space available, you should try to keep them in your backyard. If not, you should find another suitable location.

These birds will be a welcome addition to any farm or garden that they are placed in. They don’t consume a lot of feed, but they will provide you with a significant quantity of eggs.

Other alternatives to consider consist of Brahmas, Easter Eggers, Delawares, and Rhode Island Reds. Bantam types are normally excellent alternatives, too.

Tips for Raising Chickens as Pets

Are you considering raising chickens as pets? Here are a couple of suggestions:

Let them mingle and socialize

You probably shouldn’t limit yourself to just one chicken when it comes to your backyard flock.

Because these birds can live for as long as ten years, you are responsible for ensuring that they have a high standard of living during that time.

Chickens are social animals that thrive when they are in the company of others of their own species.

Consider providing them with a handful (at least six) of birds to help keep them occupied and entertained.

Most chickens will have no problem getting along with one another. However, keep in mind that familiarity with the chain of command is something that is required of you.

Since chickens do not enjoy having new members in their flock, it is best to start your flock all at once rather than individually.

In addition to this, you will need to keep a close eye on all of your other domesticated animals.

As long as they have received the appropriate training, certain household dogs can get along swimmingly with chickens. The opinions of others will never align with those of your chickens.

Provide great housing for your pet chickens

We just mentioned how inexpensive it is to keep chickens as pets, so take that into consideration.

When it comes to the construction of a chicken coop, it is imperative that you do not skimp on costs under any circumstances.

This is the only significant expense you will have when raising chickens, and it is a one-time expense that you can quickly offset when you begin offering (or even just consuming) your farm-fresh eggs.

Raising chickens as pets is a great way to add a source of fresh food to your homestead.

When you are building the coop for your chickens, you should make sure that it is protected from any potential dangers.

Pet Chicken In CoopA lot of the time, chicken wire is not enough; raccoons are able to easily get through chicken wire, which is why you will need to use another type of predator proofing, such as heavy bonded wire.

The actual cage itself should have at least 4 square feet of space per chicken, in addition to areas for roosting, nesting, as well as areas for food and water.

In addition to providing ample and excellent ventilation, you should also provide an outdoor run that is at least 10 square feet in size for each bird.

You will additionally need a way to secure your chickens inside the coop for the night on a daily basis.

The vast majority of chickens are able to survive the cold temperatures of winter. On the other hand, you might be required to put a plan into action in order to stop the water from freezing.

In any other case, placing them inside the cage for the duration of the night helps to protect them from being attacked by predators.

You can open and close the door manually, or you can invest in a system that does it automatically for you.

Please make certain you feed them properly

It should come as no surprise that chickens need access to clean water and adequate nutrition, right?

Even though you can feed your chicken the same feed that is used in commercial operations, you need to make sure that you have taken into consideration the stage of life that your chicken is still in in order to provide the appropriate amount of nutrition.

For instance, the feed of baby chicks require a higher amount of protein, whereas the feed of laying hens require a higher amount of calcium. Talk to the people who work at the local feed shop about which options would be best for your birds.

Know that house-breaking will be difficult when you have chickens as pets

There are some people who brag about being able to train their chickens to go in and out of the coop without any problems. Having said that, this won’t be easy the vast majority of the time.

It is not recommended that you attempt to housebreak your chicken, even if you are successful in doing so.

When chickens defecate, which they do quite frequently, they deposit a significant amount of nitrogen-rich manure on the ground below them. To say the least, you do not want something like this on your carpet or in your kitchen area!

There is at least one company that is dedicated to the production of chicken diapers. You do not want to become involved with something like this at all.

It is not recommended to change the diaper of a chicken. On the other hand, chicken manure is known to contain salmonellosis, a potentially dangerous germ that can cause severe illness.

It is easy to transmit to humans, and it poses a significant threat to young children, elderly people, pregnant women, and people whose immune systems are compromised.

Outside is the ideal environment for chicken coops. They can continue to be members of your pet family. Having said that, you do need to stick to a fairly restricted safe range.

Connect and Interact with them every day

Keep an eye on your chickens and make it a point to interact with them on a daily basis.

This will give you some insight into their personalities in addition to their routines so that you will understand if something goes wrong with them.

You will eventually have a better understanding of the significance of the various vocalizations that your chickens make over the course of time.

You will also gain an understanding of the behaviors that are common for your chickens and can alert you to problems within the flock.

Keep things tidy and clean

Make it a habit to thoroughly clean the coop at least once every two weeks.

You can clean a cage using the method preferred by people who are lazy. A strategy for significantly increasing the amount of bedding in the chicken cage, with the goal of reducing the frequency with which it must be changed.

However, it will involve more beddings and will be referred to as the deep litter approach. Alternatively, you can choose to scrape out all of the junk once per month.

In either scenario, making sure that your bird’s cage is always clean and that it is stocked with clean, new bedding will go a long way toward ensuring that your pet stays happy and healthy.

By simply maintaining a clean living environment for your chickens, you can protect them from a wide variety of illnesses and conditions.

In addition to this, you won’t have to worry about dirty eggs every time you go to collect them afterwards!

Is a Pet Chicken Right For You?

It doesn’t matter if you’re considering raising chickens as pets because you want a family pet that requires little upkeep or because you want one that will offer your household an endless variety of benefits.

The worthy and magnificent chicken could very well be an excellent choice for you.

Why would you spend your time and money on raising a different kind of family pet when there are so many beautiful breeds of dogs to choose from that also love to have a good time?

Different Poultry Egg Colors

Good Backyard Eggs When You Have Chickens As Pets

Additionally, the cholesterol content of these eggs is lower than that of eggs purchased from a store. If you keep chickens as pets, you will have the unique opportunity to enjoy the delicacy of eating eggs from your very own backyard flock.

This will allow you to gain a better understanding of what goes into the production of your eggs, and it will also eliminate the need for you to purchase eggs from a grocery store.

Because of the varied and nutrient-dense diet that you provide for your contented and wholesome hens, the eggs that you produce in your backyard flock have a more robust flavor.

They are, in point of fact, new! Before they ever make it to your neighborhood shop, the eggs that you find on the shelves of the supermarket have been there for several months.

In addition, fresh eggs have a more vibrant orange color than the pale yellow eggs that are produced by hens kept in a barn or a cage.

Even better, you can be sure your eggs are organic! To produce organic eggs, feed your chickens organic poultry feed and utilize natural cleaning and pest and parasite control methods.

Chickens as Pets are Great Garden Helpers

Are you a keen gardener? Raising chickens as pets provides an excellent source of manure and compost of the highest possible quality, which can be used in your garden.

You can get a rich supply of fertilizer for your garden and other valuable plants by putting their used hemp bedding in your mulch bin or applying it directly to your backyard bed.

Raising chickens as pets in your backyard not only help you till the soil in your garden between plantings but can also aerate the beds you already have.

In addition to this, they will make short work of any garden pests that may be bothering your vegetable patch crop or flower beds!

Chicken Personalities

Do you believe that keeping chickens as pets would be dull? Don’t be so sure! Chickens have just as much personality as a dog or a cat, and some of them are even more sassy, hilarious, and adorable than you’d expect them to be!

They can be endearing at times, quirky at other times, and even slightly kooky at times.

There are so many different breeds of chicken that one can choose from, and each one has a stunning variety of patterns, colors, sizes, and shapes.

Do not be surprised if you find yourself naming your garden chickens and giving them hen hugs when you discover that you have developed an attachment to them.

Got kids?

Having them care for chickens is an excellent way to introduce them to the concept of the cycle of life, as well as personal responsibility and sustainable living.

Space and Care

Do you believe that the space available in your backyard is insufficient to provide a contented and healthy home for some cute chickens?

Do not make that assumption!

Despite the fact that we constantly recommend to people who keep chickens that they let their chickens out to roam as much as they can, we also keep a few of our own.

There are some chicken breeds that do very well in smaller backyards or are restricted to a spacious poultry run that is carried with tried and tested boredom busters that keep them busy and emotionally stimulated.

When it comes to the care and upkeep of chickens, keeping them is a simple endeavor; all that is required is that you have the appropriate equipment for the task at hand.

References:

1. Urban Chickens – Backyard Chicken Keeping (2012-03-28). “Urban Chicken Keeping Laws « « Urban Chickens – Backyard Chicken Keeping Urban Chickens – Backyard Chicken Keeping”. Urbanchickens.org. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
2.  “EatWhereULive”. Sustainablefooddenver.org. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
3.  Lorraine Johnson, “What the Cluck?”, City Farmer: Adventures in Growing Urban Food
4. Deborah Ross (13 May 2004), “Diary of an urban chicken-keeper”, The Independent, London
5.  “The My Pet Chicken Guide to Chicken Care”. My Pet Chicken. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
6.  Denholtz, Charlotte (2012). The Modern-Day Pioneer Simple Living in the 21st Century. Adams Media. ISBN 978-1-4405-5179-6.