If dogs aren’t your thing, cats don’t appeal to you, and you prefer not to have birds indoors, pet chickens might be the perfect choice for you. Chickens are not only adorable and colorful, but they also provide fresh eggs and a unique opportunity to learn about nature. Keep reading to discover how to choose your flock and what to expect when caring for them. You’ll soon see why having pet chickens is a delightful experience.
The Benefits of Keeping Pet Chickens
Raising pet chickens is a fantastic way to enjoy organic eggs and introduce feathered friends to your family. While chickens require minimal maintenance, it’s important to provide them with adequate food, water, and plenty of space to roam and socialize. Though generally not aggressive, you should ensure they don’t get into fights with other household pets.
Pros and Cons of Keeping Pet Chickens
Pros:
- Fresh Eggs Daily: Pet chickens can provide a daily supply of fresh eggs.
- Low-Maintenance: Chickens are relatively easy to care for and quiet.
- Cost-Effective: Maintaining chickens is inexpensive.
- Child-Friendly: They make great pets for children who can handle them gently.
- Natural Compost Shredders: Chickens are excellent at breaking down compost.
- Pest Control: They help control garden pests by eating bugs.
- Garden Fertilizer: Chicken manure is great for fertilizing gardens.
- Efficient Mulch Spreaders: They can quickly spread mulch or compost.
- Entertaining and Beautiful: Chickens are fun to watch and come in various attractive colors.
Cons:
- Predators: Chickens need protection from predators. An automatic coop door, like Run-Chicken, can help.
- Local Ordinances: Ensure local laws allow you to keep chickens.
- Manure Management: Balance the number of chickens to manage manure properly.
- Rodents: Be cautious of attracting rodents with food scraps.
- Garden Damage: Chickens can peck at small plants, so protect your garden with fencing.
- Travel Considerations: Arranging care for chickens while you’re away can be challenging.
Choosing the Right Chicken Breed
Chickens, like dogs or cats, come in various breeds with different personalities. Consider size and temperament before selecting your flock. Here are some popular breeds:
Australorps
- Care Level: Easy
- Friendly: Yes
- Diet: Herbivores; enjoy berries and fruit treats
- Colors: Black, white, blue
- Size: Males 8.5 lbs, females 6.5 lbs
- Behavior: Independent, active, gentle
- Characteristics: Productive and fast-growing
- Egg Production: 4-6 large brown eggs per week, including in winter
- Life Expectancy: 8+ years
- Space Requirements: Prefer free-range or spacious coops
- Minimum Coop Size: 2-3 sq. ft. per chicken
- Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms
Brahmas
- Care Level: Medium
- Friendly: Yes
- Diet: High protein (18%), enjoy worms and crickets
- Colors: Dark, buff, light, white, gold, blue partridge
- Size: Males 10 lbs, females 8 lbs
- Behavior: Docile, peaceful, friendly
- Characteristics: Large, can’t fly, easy to contain
- Egg Production: 4-6 large brown eggs per week, including in winter
- Life Expectancy: 5-8 years
- Space Requirements: Prefer free-range
- Minimum Coop Size: 5-8 sq. ft. per chicken
- Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms
Cochins
- Care Level: Easy
- Friendly: Yes
- Diet: Need green food daily to prevent obesity
- Colors: Various, including buff, black, blue, and more
- Size: Males 11 lbs, females 8 lbs
- Behavior: Calm, docile
- Characteristics: Broody, withstand cold climates
- Egg Production: 3-4 medium to large brown eggs per week, prefer winter
- Life Expectancy: 5-8 years
- Space Requirements: Encourage free-range
- Minimum Coop Size: 4 sq. ft. per chicken
- Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms, obesity, feet issues
Delaware
Care Level: Easy
Friendly: ✔️
Diet: Requires high-protein food (20-24%). Supplements like worms and crickets improve egg production.
Colors: White and black
Size: Males: 8 lbs, Females: 6 lbs
Behaviors: Calm, inquisitive, friendly, and fairly assertive
Characteristics: Deep, broad body with a single comb and muscular legs
Egg Production: Excellent, 3-4 large brown to cream-colored eggs per week, fewer in winter
Life Expectancy: 5+ years
Space Requirements: Free-range or supervised free range a few days a week.
Minimum Coop Size: 8 square feet per chicken
Compatible with Other Hens: ✔️
Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms. Generally healthy.
Easter Eggers
Care Level: Easy
Friendly: ✔️
Diet: Special chicken layer feed, with extra calcium and protein supplements (mealworms, live-culture yogurt). Treats can include fruits and vegetables.
Colors: Various colors and sizes due to hybrid breeding
Size: Males: 6 lbs, Females: 3 lbs
Behaviors: Gentle, happy, friendly, enjoys human interaction
Characteristics: Small size, varied appearance
Egg Production: Excellent, 3-4 eggs of various sizes and colors per week, fewer in winter
Life Expectancy: 5–8 years
Space Requirements: Prefer free-ranging but can tolerate confinement.
Minimum Coop Size: 2-3 square feet per chicken
Compatible with Other Hens: ✔️
Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms. Cleanliness is crucial for feathered breeds.
Jersey Giants
Care Level: Medium
Friendly: ✔️
Diet: Not prone to obesity, enjoys foraging.
Colors: Black, white, and blue
Size: Males: 13 lbs, Females: 10 lbs
Behaviors: Gentle, very friendly, good foragers
Characteristics: Very large, rapid growth
Egg Production: Excellent, 3-5 large to medium brown to cream-colored eggs per week, fewer in winter
Life Expectancy: 8+ years
Space Requirements: Must free-range, do not tolerate tight confinement.
Minimum Coop Size: 6-8 square feet per chicken
Compatible with Other Hens: ✔️
Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms. Prone to foot strain, use smaller perches.
Polish Chicken
Care Level: Easy
Friendly: ✔️
Diet: High-protein feed (at least 16%), with supplements like worms and crickets.
Colors: Silver, golden, buff, blue
Size: Males: 7 lbs, Females: 4 lbs
Behaviors: Calm, inquisitive, can become nervous with loud noise, rarely brood
Characteristics: Crested heads, vision obscured, prone to aerial predators
Egg Production: Poor, 2-3 medium-sized white eggs per week, fewer in winter
Life Expectancy: 8+ years
Space Requirements: Prefer supervised free-range, tolerate confinement well.
Minimum Coop Size: 1-2 square feet per chicken
Compatible with Other Hens: ✔️
Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms. Maintain head feather cleanliness and dryness.
Rhode Island Red
Care Level: Easy
Friendly: ✔️
Diet: Enjoys free-ranging, requires 16% protein food.
Colors: Dark red
Size: Males: 7 lbs, Females: 6 lbs
Behaviors: Curious, stress-free, friendly, assertive in the pecking order
Characteristics: Hardy, resilient to poor conditions
Egg Production: Excellent, 3-6 medium-large light brown eggs per week, fewer in winter
Life Expectancy: 8+ years
Space Requirements: Needs ample space, does not tolerate confinement.
Minimum Coop Size: 4 square feet per chicken
Compatible with Other Hens: ✔️
Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms. Generally healthy.
Silkie
Care Level: Medium
Friendly: ✔️
Diet: High-protein feed (at least 16%), with fresh greens periodically.
Colors: Black, blue, buff, gray, partridge, self-blue (lavender), splash, white
Size: Males: 4 lbs, Females: 2 lbs
Behaviors: Calm, docile, suitable for apartments, very quiet
Characteristics: Small, soft and furry coat, cannot fly
Egg Production: Poor, 1-2 small cream-colored eggs per week, none in winter
Life Expectancy: 7–8 years
Space Requirements: Needs ample indoor and outdoor space.
Minimum Coop Size: 5-8 square feet per chicken
Compatible with Other Hens: ✔️
Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms. Requires grooming, regular foot cleaning.
Sussex
Care Level: Easy
Friendly: ✔️
Diet: Low-calorie food, frequent small meals, avoid overfeeding.
Colors: Red, speckled, brown, silver
Size: Males: 9 lbs, Females: 6 lbs
Behaviors: Docile, happy, curious, follows people for treats
Characteristics: Large and graceful, poor flyers
Egg Production: Excellent, 3-5 large brown eggs per week, lays during winter
Life Expectancy: 8+ years
Space Requirements: Requires ample space.
Minimum Coop Size: 4 square feet per chicken
Compatible with Other Hens: ✔️
Health Problems: Lice, mites, worms, comb problems (protect with petroleum jelly).
Other great pet chicken breeds include Orpingtons, Wyandotte, Faverolles, Leghorn, Plymouth, Sultan, Barbu d’Uccle, and Sebright.
Avoid aggressive breeds like Barred Rock, Old English Game, Cornish, and Oriental Game chickens, especially roosters.
Share Your Experience!
Tell us which breeds you chose for pet chickens on our Facebook, Instagram, or tag us in your TikTok video. Enjoy your journey with your new feathered friends!