Can Chickens Be Pets? What to Know Before You Fall in Love

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

Do Chickens Make Good Pets?

Every so often, a woman is spotted on a New York City sidewalk, leash in hand, walking a chicken Ask her whether chickens make good pets and you’ll get an enthusiastic yes Her hen lives with her in her apartment Ask the same question of a family raising batch after batch of Cornish Rock broilers for the grill, and you’ll get an equally firm no, because to them chickens are food animals The truth, for most people, sits somewhere in between So do chickens make good pets? The honest answer is that they can, for the right person, with