Should I Get Chickens?

In my humble opinion I would say yes in any manner that counts. Chickens are one of the most efficient pets we can own. They are relaxing to watch, they get you outdoors, and have a very small amount of work that you need to put in for such great rewards.

What are the benefits of chickens?

Well, here you can see some of the great benefits of chicken ownership. If you look from just the simple aspect of food supply, you will get eggs. If you get them as chicks this can take 4-8 months depending on the breed. You can also get chickens that lay different colors. If using them for meat they grow quick and you might need to check on regulations for doing it on site or not.

Dogs and cats give you love and attention, a chicken too can request attention. Every time they hear me close the sliding door they run to the front of their run. They can recognize different individuals(and they know I come bearing treats). My rooster will demand head scratches, and two of my hens delight in being picked up or attended to.

They can tell the difference between faces and individuals. My rooster definitely recognizes when my fiancé walks out of the house with the way he crows at him or the truck when we turn it on. Chickens are cool they are the closest living relatives to dinosaurs. You can recognize that connection any time you watch them in the yard. Plus they can make you compost and plant fuel.

What are the cons of getting Chickens?

If you are in a city it will be difficult unless you want house chickens indoors or in small yards with limited space. This might be a compromise or difficult to allow the space they would need. They don’t need a lot, but that could be more than you would like to part with if there isn’t much space to give. I have not owned quail or rabbit, but those could be options better suited to smaller spaces.

There are some things you will have to watch out for with health conditions for chickens as well, and general care. Most of which are simple fixes, but watch your chickens for signs of distress or illness to catch things and address them.

Check out your local regulations.

Check your county website and look under poultry, or fowl to figure out any local and state laws and restrictions. Some places you can only have 4 chickens, some places you can’t have roosters. You should know this ahead of time, and also check for coop placements as well if you can find any. Some need to be within a certain distance of a residence, so make sure you know where you can keep them and how many and what kinds you can keep before you nosedive into getting chickens.

Plan ahead.

Yay! You are doing some of that work right now. Make sure if you are getting some chickens or thinking about getting chickens that you have a plan once you get them, or know what to do when you get them. Make sure you have adequate housing space for your chickens, the recommendation is 4 square feet of coop space per bird and 8 square feet of run space per bird. This is variable by breed, bantams require less space and heavy chickens can require more space. Get to know the breeds of chicken you choose. This is a wonderful opportunity I think everyone could benefit from. Chickens are such lovely creatures.