Chickens would have made popular pets if they are better looking

If the chickens are prettier, I am sure lots of people would have had them as pets. They don't even require cages like most other pet birds. All you need is a backyard. It is a relatively big bird, can't fly in most cases, walk on their legs, and can find their way back home. They may also produce you food. Why not? Only if they are prettier.

I had a friend who call the adult chickens "disgusting". Well, it is not their fault. Their wild form is actually quite nice looking. We domesticated them for tens thousands of years if not longer, which had altered their look. The newly hatched chicks are actually very cute.

I was lucky to have had chooks growing up.Bantams mostly who were always very broody and then there was Spud!!!!Spud was a Rhode Island red hen who had a whole lot of chickentude.Spud would always cum a runnin at the very sound of the back door opening which always stirred the other chooks up.Then we had Henny Penny who was just an ordinary red shaver who was the boss of the property lol.Henny Penny sure as heck never had a problem putting anyone in their place human or other was always a great laugh watching unsuspecting animals or people stray into her patch.I think any chook is pretty as beauty is in the eye of the beholder.Oh and having free range eggs was just awsome indeed.

I don't eat much eggs now, but be able to produce your own eggs is nice. One of my aunts have several chickens in her backyard. She told me they won't lay eggs without her feeding them whole grain. What do you feed them?

When we had our chooks we feed them vege scraps but also good quality layers mash and pellets.Our girls had free rain of the yard so they also ate whatever they foraged for ie snails,spiders etc was pretty cool to watch them when they had found live prey as they all literally went chicken crazy lol.

I've seen much uglier pets than chickens. Some fish, for example. Also, that sounds quite awesome, Mels Bee. I've never thought of chickens as potential pets, but I have heard of it with sheep. A bit of a random question, but where do chickens go to poop, though?

Birds don't go to specific places to poop. They have really short Intestine, thus they can't hold it.
They will drop whenever they have it.

In the case of chickens poop in the garden, it's free fertilizer. Birds don't digest that well, so it's very rich fertilizer for your garden.

Perhaps I'm odd but I think chickens are cute in their own way. I actually know a few people who live in the suburbs and keep a pet chicken or two. Of course they all have huge back yards for the chickens to roam. My dad's aunty actually has a chicken that likes following people around.

I think they make great pets and of course there is the added bonus of having freshly laid eggs. Although I'm not sure I could eat them ha ha.

Roosters however are another story. I know of one person who adopted a rooster and it wakes the whole neighbourhood up each morning at dawn without fail.

I am getting waken up by birds here every morning while it's still dark. It sucks to be awake at around 4am lol. Having a rooster would be more troublesome because they are one of the louder birds.

I don't see why you can't eat the eggs from your own chicken. You are in control of what the chicken eat. Less chance of contamination.

That's why most people I know have the chicks as pets - but that's it. Once they grown into adult chickens, it's time to give them away or sell them...

Or even worse, cook them ,_, which personally I can never do to a pet I've nurtured and cared for for so long.

I love my chickens and I think they're beautiful! Plus they have the most amazing little personalities.

Certain breeds of chickens are prettier than others, such as bantams or silkies but I can't say I've ever seen an ugly chicken.

They make great pets and are certainly growing in popularity as the desire to have free range, organic eggs increases.

I wouldn't be without my girls now.

I should also add that hens are capable of laying eggs without a rooster. Those eggs are so called "veggie eggs". Because these are unfertilized eggs, and they can't hatch into chicks. If you couldn't bear the thought of eating chicks every day, you can forget about that in this case. I first heard of it over a decade ago from some vegetarians, they keep only hens so they can eat unfertilized "veggie eggs". You get protein, and no chick is killed in your imagination.

(06-11-2012 02:27 PM)Ram Wrote:  I should also add that hens are capable of laying eggs without a rooster. Those eggs are so called "veggie eggs". Because these are unfertilized eggs, and they can't hatch into chicks. If you couldn't bear the thought of eating chicks every day, you can forget about that in this case. I first heard of it over a decade ago from some vegetarians, they keep only hens so they can eat unfertilized "veggie eggs". You get protein, and no chick is killed in your imagination.

Oh wow, I've never heard of "veggie eggs" before! I'm actually a vegetarian and while I'm not vegan I feel a little uneasy about eating normal eggs. It's nice to know that there are unfertilized eggs available. :-) I'm glad I'm not the only one to see a chick in my imagination when contemplating eggs.

I'd have a pet chicken if I could, but that really isn't an option for me.

When I was in elementary school, we hatched chicken eggs a few times as part of school lessons. When they were hatched, I got to take the whole litter home over the weekend a couple of times.

My parents let me adopt a couple of them over the years. They were so cute. When they were young, we had them in the house in a breathable box. Then, my Dad built a chicken coop. They did make good pets.

The last one I adopted had a surprise for us. It turned out to be a rooster! After several mornings with neighbors complaining about the new neighborhood alarm clock, we made a trade for a chicken with our friend who was a farmer.

(07-02-2012 05:13 AM)Kronos Wrote:  I'd have a pet chicken if I could, but that really isn't an option for me.

All you need is a small backyard, or front yard for that matter.
Are you living in an apartment?

(07-02-2012 12:23 PM)TreeClimber Wrote:  It turned out to be a rooster! After several mornings with neighbors complaining about the new neighborhood alarm clock, we made a trade for a chicken with our friend who was a farmer.

Most people I have seen with chickens are with hens. Roosters won't be appreciated by the neighbors for sure unless they are all early morning person who can use an alarm clock. They can be territorial with each other as well.

Well, once i had a bad experience with roosters. A cock gave me a peck when i visited a friend who had some cocks and hens. I didn't do anything bad to those chickens,i just don't know why that cock bite me till now. Cocks left bad expression on me,anyway i won't keep chickens as pets. And i believe that chickens won't be popular pets even though they look beautiful. Anyone keep peacocks as pets? Peacocks are more beautiful than cocks,but seldom people own them.

Chickens are such versatile birds, the provide meat, eggs and fertiliser. Some of them can fly especially the bantams, all of the species are not big either, a grown Sebright rooster weighs up to 750 grams (That is the size of a quail).

How can these guys be ugly?



A Yokohama Rooster



Japanese Bantam



Golden Sebright Rooster

They all have their own personalities, though some of the breeds my be feisty some of them are as docile as lambs.

When in Florida, I had chickens as pets. They were all Cochin Bantams. the rooster was a Buff Cochin, and the hens were a mixture of Cochin and Silkies, all in-bred.

I raised them all from babies and had the rooster "Babee," trained to come at my call. That way I could get him back to the cage and the hens would soon come a running.

They were very smart and knew to hide under bushes if hawks and owls, were in the area. The larger type chickens are not very bright when it comes to protecting themselves from becoming dinner for a hungry owl or fox.

My problem in keeping them was the opposems would get them at night by reaching through the wire and ripping their rear ends.

I had my coop and outdoor fence layered with wire trying to protect the chickens. I finally gave up, and gave my chickens away. I enjoy watching them out in the yard eating bug and worms.

I was given a Black Rosecomb, bantam rooster. He was mean and would attack me if I got to close. These roosters are often used in Florida, and elsewhere for cock fights. I did not keep him very long.

(Yesterday 04:18 AM)Yatte Wrote:  How can these guys be ugly?

Roosters are generally better looking than hens. That is for certain. It is common for all birds and many other species to have better looking males than females.

I believe my friend was referring to the hens "they are ugly" since they are more common.

Ordinary roosters aren't as pretty as the ones in your pictures. Are those ones from some kind of chicken beauty contests?