- Chickens as pets
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Pet chickens
Keeping chickens as pets has become increasingly popular over the years[1] among urban and suburban residents.[2] Most chickens are poultry kept on farms for the agricultural production of meat and eggs but some chickens are kept as pets for entertainment and educational reasons,[3] along with homegrown eggs and sometimes meat. With the growing interest in all-natural pest control alternatives, people are now keeping chickens[4] to rid their property of unwanted insects and larvae, which uses the birds' natural instinct to seek out and eat bugs.
Contents
Background
Chickens can be tamed by hand feeding and simply by being handled. Some people are afraid that roosters will become aggressive, but this problem can easily be avoided if the rooster is handled right. [5] Breeds such as Silkies and many bantams are generally docile, making them ideal pets for owners with small children.[6] Some cities in the United States allow chickens as pets but others ban them. Some may only ban roosters due to the crowing.[7] City ordinances, zoning regulations or health boards may determine whether chickens may be kept.[8] A general requirement is that the birds be confined to the owner's property, not allowed to roam freely. There may be restrictions on the size of the property or how far from human dwellings a coop may be located, etc.[9]
Baby chickens, dyed unnatural colors, sold as pets at a Market in Oaxaca, Mexico.The so called "urban hen movement" harks back to the days when chicken keeping was much more common, and involves the keeping of small groups of hens in areas where they may not be expected, such as closely populated cities and suburban areas. In Asia, chickens with striking plumage have long been kept for ornamental purposes, including feather-footed varieties such as the Cochin and the Silkie from China, and the extremely long-tailed Phoenix from Japan. Asian ornamental varieties were imported into the United States and Great Britain in the late 1800s. Distinctive American varieties of chickens have been developed from these Asian breeds. Poultry fanciers began keeping these ornamental birds for exhibition, a practice that continues today. Individuals in rural communities commonly keep chickens for both ornamental and practical value.
Housing
Main article: Chicken coop
Chicken coop and runA chicken coop is a housing where chickens are kept. Inside there will often be nest boxes for egg laying along with perches on which the birds can sleep. Backyard coops are small and fenced, often with chicken wire, allowing chickens an area to roam, peck and hunt insects. Chicken tractors are floorless coops which can be dragged about a yard. Some backyard chickens are allowed to free range, sleeping in coops. Urban chicken keeping has led to manufactured chicken coops such as the Eglu, which are designed for tight spaces and have a tidy look. Chicken waterers and feeders are an important part of keeping chickens as pets. There are hanging waterers/feeders, nipple waterers and nipple cup waterers.
Show chickens
Main articles: Livestock show and Animal fancyChicken shows may be found both at county fairs and sanctioned shows hosted by regional poultry clubs. 4,000 or more birds may be entered in some shows. The Poultry Club of Great Britain sanctions poultry shows in Britain while the American Poultry Association and the American Bantam Association do likewise in America. Such organizations also work with poultry breed clubs of people who have interests in specific breeds of chickens.
See also
- Chicken as food
- Free-range eggs
- List of chicken breeds
- Dust bath
- Pecking order
- Floyd Mayweather Jr.
References
- ^ Fly, Colin (July 27, 2007). "Some homeowners find chickens all the rage". Chicago Tribune. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1310840201.html?dids=1310840201:1310840201&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+27,+2007&author=Colin+Fly&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Some+homeowners+find+chickens+all+the+rage&pqatl=google.
- ^ Pollack-Fusi, Mindy (December 16, 2004). "Cooped up in suburbia". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2004/12/16/cooped_up_in_suburbia/.
- ^ United Poultry Concerns. "Providing a Good Home for Chickens". http://www.upc-online.org/home.html. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
- ^ http://www.grit.com/Pests/Raising-Chickens-and-Poultry-for-Home-Pest-Control.aspx
- ^ "Guide to handling roosters". http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=63850-the-definite-guide-to-roosters. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ^ "Clucks and Chooks: A Guide To Keeping Chickens". http://www.henkeeping.co.uk/which.html.
- ^ http://www.mypetchicken.com/chickenFAQ.aspx#InViolation
- ^ "FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions about Chickens)". My Pet Chicken. http://www.mypetchicken.com/chickenFAQ.aspx#InViolation. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ My Pet Chicken: Links gives links to regulations of some major U.S. cities that allow chickens.
External links
- "More people turn to chickens as pets". USA Today. July 20, 2007. http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2007-07-20-3677522660_x.htm.
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- Birds kept as pets
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