Chickens as Pets? Really?

Keeping chickens as pets is quickly becoming popular here in the Philippines. In the past, chickens were only regarded as livestock that provided eggs and eventually meat when they got too old to lay eggs.

An even uglier aspect of that is that chickens or gamecocks were raised for gambling purposes.

These days, I’m glad that more people are coming around to the idea that chickens make great pets. They have awesome personalities and do more for us than we realize.

Benefits of Keeping Chickens as Pets

Here are some benefits of keeping chickens as pets:

Fresh Supply of Eggs

I’m not gonna lie, one of the primary benefits of keeping chickens is the ability to have a steady supply of fresh, high-quality eggs. And eggs from backyard, free-range chickens are typically more nutritious and flavorful than those you buy from the store.

Maybe it’s because they have a more diverse diet if you leave them well enough alone to forage in a more natural environment.

Plus chicken eggs cost on the average, Php10 per piece. Let’s say you need at least 3 eggs per day, that’s a savings of Php30 per day and Php180 per week.

(Note: not all chickens lay eggs daily and you can’t expect one chicken to lay eggs 24/7)

Natural Pest Control

Here’s another reasons why you’d want to keep chickens as pets: they love to eat bugs! Keep enough chickens and you can have a virtually bug-free backyard!

So, if you’re like me who likes keeping a pesticide-free garden, keep chickens as pets.

Extra Hands in Your Garden

Not only do chickens get rid of bugs for you, they can also help you keep a healthier garden. For one, chickens love scratching at the ground. They can help turn loose soil for you to aerate plant roots.

Next, their manure is a good fertilizer. Chickens have a loose enough stool that keeps soil and plants fertilized. If you have free-range chickens, they can fertilize a small tract of land for you if you give them enough time.

But the best way to do that is to collect the manure and process it in a compost pit.

Chickens also eat plant materials. They can trim your garden for you and keep it manageable enough. Plus, if you mow the lawn, they can peck at the grass trimmings to augment their diet.

What can I say? Chickens are helpful in the garden.

Great Learning Tools for Children

I’m one of those kids who grew up in a household with chickens. Lots of them. Ok well, maybe not on a regular basis. But every summer, I was sent off to live with my grandparents and they had a chicken coop that I was responsible for keeping clean.

I was taught how to collect eggs, feed them, give them enough water, observe if they need anything, and yes, clean their manure and put it in the compost pit. I was proud of the shovel my grandfather bought me to do my job because it was one of my first possessions.

Taking care of chickens helped me create a routine. I’d wake up early in the morning to replace their water bowls and check for eggs. And then I’d clean up the manure at the bottom of their cages.

I became observant and had that feeling of responsibility at an early age. I guess you could say that keeping chickens as pets can be used as a great learning tool for children.

Chickens are Good Company

Chickens are highly intelligent, social birds who form strong bonds with other animals (not necessarily chickens) and people. As a child, I used to enjoy being surrounded by chickens while they ate the food I threw on the ground for them.

I’d sit on a stool and just let them brush against me. I’d get lost in the cacophony of their squawking and clucking for hours. Those were more innocent days when chickens were great for companionship and entertainment.

I swear a few of them stopped to listen to me while I talked or sang to them. And I always seemed to know who’d come running up to me as soon as they saw me and which ones would just lay back.

How Many Chickens is Too Much Chickens?

Keeping chickens as pets can quickly become an obsession.

If you’re planning on keeping one, you might as well make room for two. And if you get two, be ready for a third, a fourth, fifth, sixth, twelfth, twentieth, etcetera. Keeping a small flock of chickens is fun.

But there should be a limit right? I mean, keeping many chickens may seem fun at the beginning but could turn old real fast in the end. You might end up hating them or yourself if you don’t have the resources to support them.

Or you could get overwhelmed and instead of enjoying the feeling of having a flock, end up stressed out.

So, if you’re a beginner, you should consider these things before you start multiplying your flock’s numbers.

Space Requirements

Don’t be cruel. Give your chickens room to forage. There’s a huge difference in the temperament of caged and free-range chickens. Inf act, just giving them enough space to move around is better than keeping them cooped up in a cage.

As a general rule, you’ll need around 4 square feet of coop space and 10-15 square feet of run space per bird. Make sure you have enough space available before getting your chickens.

Breed

Let’s face it, some chicken breeds are better suited for egg production than others. Some as pets. They were just simply bred to be what they are. So, when selecting your chickens, it’s important to know what you want before you choose a breed.

You need to know if you’re getting chickens for their high egg-laying capabilities or temperament for companionship.

Egg Production

How many eggs do you need per day? Per week? Month?

Chickens lay eggs. How many eggs they lay per day, month, or year, varies between breeds. So, try to determine how many eggs you need regularly or what to do with the surplus eggs. Calculate your household’s egg consumption against the number of chickens you need.

You’ll also have to get comfortable with the idea of collecting eggs daily. The average chicken will lay between 200 and 300 eggs per year.

Given these considerations, a good starting point for a beginner who is primarily interested in a steady supply of eggs would be to keep 3-5 chickens. This number will provide a consistent supply of eggs for a small household, while still being manageable for a first-time chicken keeper.

Best Chickens as Pets for Beginners

Ok, so which chickens should you get as a beginner who just wants eggs and companionship? Here are a few great breeds to consider:

Rhode Island Red

Rhode Island Reds or Reds or RIRs are known the world over as the most reliable and consistent egg layers. These birds can lay up to 300 eggs per year.

They’re also hardy birds with pleasant, inquisitive personalities who can adapt to different climates quickly and easily. A lot of Filipino backyard chicken owners have RIRs or hybrids because of these qualities.

Australorp

The second-best chicken on this list is actually my favorite. I mean what’s not to love about Australorps?

They’re beautiful, glossy-black chickens that make them quite unique birds to keep in your backyard. I would suggest keeping an eye on these because they’re very much coveted for their uniqueness in appearance. People steal free-range Australorps in the Philippines a lot.

They’re exceptional egg layers. One bird can lay 250 eggs a year provided that it has all the vitamins and minerals plus creature comforts and basic stuff it needs.

Last but not least, they’re very calm and easy to handle. And that’s what makes them excellent pets. If thonly they laid more eggs than RIRs, they’d be on top of this list.

Orpington

The chickens you grew up watching in cartoons? Those were more than likely based on Orpingtons. These chickens have that classic look.

They also lay up to 200 eggs per year and are known for their docile and friendly nature. Bottomline: perfect chickens as pets based on looks, egg production, and temperament.

Silkie (AKA Silky or Chinese silk chicken)

Not exactly the most prolific egg-layers (they only lay up to 120 small eggs per year), silkies are kept mostly for pets. That’s basically it for this breed.

Now, I had a chance to get a silkie once but sadly had to decline because I barely knew anything about the breed. That was 10 years ago. I know more now and I’m ready to get my first of many silkies in the next few months.

And why would I want to get one? Well, simply because silkies are great chickens as pets. They have a gentle, affectionate personality and they look really cool with their soft, fluffy feathers.

They’re like little puppies in chicken bodies.  

Bantam

Some people like teacup dogs.

Some people like munchkin cats.

I like bantam chickens for the same purpose that people like smaller versions of their pets as compared to regular breeds.

There’s really no clear advantage why you would get a miniature version of a pet save for the reduced space needed for them to move around. But then again, if you stop to consider it, the space you saved isn’t that much.

So, there’s no practical reason why one gets a miniature version of a dog, a cat, a horse, or a chicken.

Just blame it on how cute they look I guess.

That’s it for me today! next time you’re considering an animal companion, think of chickens as pets. They’re much smaller, more useful, and much more practical to keep than a cat or a dog.