I am so excited to write this blog! We have been raising backyard chickens on and off for the last 15 years So, naturally, we’ve learned some of the do’s and don’ts of raising backyard chickens While the list could be quite long, I’m going to give you the top 3 things I wished I would have known when first starting out on our backyard chicken adventure!
Years ago, on a visit to Hoover’s Hatchery, we spotted a bumper sticker that read, “Yep, I talk to my CHICKENS” It made us laugh, and then it made us think So we will ask the question plainly: Can chickens be pets? The short answer is yes Plenty of backyard keepers treat their birds like cherished members of the family, and the birds often seem to return the affection Whether a chicken counts as a true pet, though, depends a lot on your perspective and the kind of relationship you build with your flock
I’m a huge advocate for having children involved in raising livestock One of the easier species of livestock to keep is chickens Chickens are a great farm animal to get kids involved with Chickens require just enough care that children can learn responsibility and don’t require that much help from adults One of the reasons that more children should own farm animals is all about learning Raising an animal of any kind teaches a child responsibility Children learn to take care of something and anticipate something’s needs other than their own There is a ton of research
A woman is occasionally spotted on a New York City sidewalk, leash in hand, walking a chicken Ask her if chickens make great pets and you’ll get an enthusiastic, “Yes! They are wonderful” Her chicken lives with her in her apartment Ask the same question of a family that raises batch after batch of Cornish Rock Broilers destined for the barbeque grill and you’ll get a resounding, “No, chickens are food animals”
