Bawk Bawk!

So, I have a confession. I'm a "chicken lady."

No, no... not like that. Well.. at least I hope not. But seriously. I love chickens. They are wonderful pets.... better than I ever anticipated. I initially liked the idea of fancy chickens living in our yard like ridiculous, breathing lawn ornaments. I thought that's all they would amount to, really. But my chickens ended up as more than that. They are not unitelligent as I once believed... and I have become very taken with them and their distinct personalities.  I'm not trying to suggest that a chicken is equivalent to a dog or cat (my cat would surely be horrified at the notion), but they are sweet and entertaining and love to cuddle on laps. Mine even come running when called! They are great for adults and kids alike. My son adores feeding them and collecting the eggs every day. Raising them from chicks is a great educational opportunity.

My son loves playing with the chickens

 

If you are thinking of getting chickens, do it.  It's a great experience. But before you do, here are a few things to consider:

1) Most chicken breeds are difficult to sex at the baby chick stage...and some breeds (primarily silkies) are basically impossible until the 4-ish month age where they either start laying or crowing.  Have a definite backup plan if you end up with an unwanted rooster... or stick to breeds that are easier to sex. As urban chickens have become more popular, so have unwanted roosters that are dumped into shelters or simply let free in the wild. This is irresponsible pet ownership, so please do your research. I ended up with a rooster myself, but made sure to buy my chicks from a breeder who would take unwanted roos back.
Hens will lay with or without a rooster.  They do NOT need a man around to get their egg on!  Obviously if you want babies, then get a rooster.  Other than that, there's really no good reason to have a roo. Besides, they are usually banned in most urban neighborhoods.

Gretta laying an egg

2) Chickens get up early... crack of dawn early. So provide them with plenty of room and entertainment in their run to keep them happy if you want to sleep-in past 5am. If you do not want an enclosed run and plan to free-range exclusively, be aware you will be getting up very early to let them out to play, otherwise they may revert to loud cackling to remind you...

3) There are generally 2 sizes of chickens: standard and bantam. Bantam or "banty" breeds are about half the size of their standard cousins, and therefore lay eggs half the size of regular eggs. Some bantams are okay co-existing with larger breeds (I two in my small flock and they do well), but may get picked on. They generally do better with other bantams their own size.

A bantam egg next to a standard sized egg

4) The "pecking order" is a very real thing... and it can be brutal.  Any time new chickens are introduced into an established flock, hazing, bullying, and general rudeness will be common-place until the order is figured out. You will have to referee in many cases if adding to your flock in order to prevent an injury or even death.

5) Many breeds of chickens go "broody." Some breeds (like silkies and cochins) are much more prone to going broody than breeds that have been bred strictly for egg production (like Leghorns). "Broody" means that the hen's biological clock rings and tells her that she MUST hatch some chicks RIGHT NOW. After they feel they have laid a certain amount of eggs, the hen will sit on her nest until they hatch. Hens will not leave except once a day to get food and drink, then return to the nest. They puff up and make screeching noises if they are disturbed. Sometimes they will even sit on imaginary eggs...rocks... golfballs.. you name it. But they will not leave until they hatch chicks...which can be a problem if they have no fertile eggs.  In certain cases, they must be "broken" of their broodiness by being separated from the flock. Otherwise, they will continue to sit and not care for themselves and potentially die from malnutrition, or be picked on by other chickens. (I will cover more on how to "break a broody" later on in this blog.) If you are not willing or equipped to deal with chickens that constantly go broody, get breeds that have had that instinct bred out of them.

6) "Chicken Math." What is it? Well, it is the undeniable force in the Universe that makes you feel like you need more chickens. Or how you will, more often than not, end up with more chickens than you intended. Kind of like potato chips. For example, you start with 4 chicks. A few months later, one surprises you and begins to crow. So, you find a new home for roo and lament your loss. Of course you need to get a replacement hen, so you drive to your local feed store to grab another chick. Only you can't just take one chick because the seller has a policy of only selling in pairs. So, you shrug and take 2 adorable chicks home and add them to the flock when they are ready. So now you have 3 of your original chickens plus the 2 new chicks. And that is 5. Which is more than 4 that you started out with. See? Chicken math. It will sneak up on you. Be sure to make your coop/run big enough to compensate because IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I was only supposed to have 3 chickens and now have 6.

Hedwig was not part of my original flock...but how could I say "no" to this face?

All-in-all, chickens are fantastic pets and are generally easy to care for once you do a little research and understand their quirks. Like any pet, they require time and effort and attention (Just because they live outdoors does not mean they can be left completely to their own devices). With loving care, they will be a great addition your your family for years to come. I mean, what other pet makes you breakfast? 

My backyard flock of six sweeties