Best Chickens for Pets

Chickens as Pets: 5 Kid-Friendly Chicken Breeds

5 Favorite Chicken Breeds for a Diversified, Interesting Kid-Friendly Flock

Lisa Steele • April 14, 2018 
https://countrysidenetwork.com/daily/poultry/chickens-101/chickens-as-pets-5-kid-friendly-chicken-breeds/

Blue Cochin Hen in Chicken Cage with Feathered Feet

Raising a flock of backyard chickens as pets with “benefits” is a fun, fulfilling activity that the whole family can get involved in. Kids love to help collect eggs, refill feeders and waterers, and watch the chickens chase bugs in the yard. If you are considering starting a flock of backyard chickens, choosing a few “kid friendly” chicken breeds will result in a flock of calm, docile hens that your kids can have fun petting, holding and interacting with.
Getting your chickens as baby chicks and handling them often  (be sure to teach your kids how to safely hold the chicks – always have an adult present to avoid accidents or injuries – and enforce strict rules about washing hands after handling the chicks), bringing them treats, and spending time with them early on will ensure your chickens are used to your children, and vice versa.  In the past I have bought pullets (young chickens, usually 3 months of age or older, but under a year old) and despite spending plenty of time with them, never found them to be as friendly as those I raised from hatch or as day-old chicks. It really does make a difference, so buy your chicks as young as you can — or hatch your own in an incubator (chicks hatched under a hen aren’t as friendly to humans as those hatched in an incubator).

In addition, choosing chicken breeds known for being friendly and calm is your best bet for a family-friendly flock and very important if you are interested in raising the chickens as pets. I have raised nearly twenty different breeds over the last seven years and temperament from breed to breed really does vary greatly. I am naturally drawn to the more friendly breeds and now have a flock comprised nearly entirely of chickens that have no problem letting me hold them and pet them, and even seem to enjoy the company of humans.
Since many areas limit flock size to just five hens, here are five of my favorite chicken breeds. I would actually recommend getting one of each for a diversified, interesting kid-friendly flock



L to R: Buff Orpington and Australorp, Salmon Faverolle, Olive Egger, Blue Cochin, Australorp

Buffs

Gorgeous, buttery yellow Buff Orpington chickens are often referred to as the “golden retrievers” of the chicken world. As far as raising chickens as pets, if you can only choose one breed, this is it. Buffs are notoriously calm, sweet, friendly chickens. They are fairly large, but not so large as to be intimidating to little ones. They are brown egg layers and are both cold hardy and heat tolerant. One of my first chickens was a Buff Orpington named Grace and she sure lived up to her name. She was a sweet hen who never bothered anyone and loved to trail around after me in the yard like a puppy dog.

Australorps

The name Australorp comes from blending the words “Australian” and “Orpington”. Very similar in size and temperament to Buffs, Australorps were bred in Australia from Black Orpingtons and are the Australian version of the Buff Orpington. They are solid black, although their feathers will shine with a purple and green sheen in the sunlight. Australorps lay pale tan eggs and hold the world record for egg laying.
A personal favorite chicken breed of mine, my flock has always included at least one or two Australorps. My current flock has two Black Australorps, one of whom is my alpha hen Annie who rules the roost with a firm yet kind hand (claw?). She has never been unnecessarily aggressive to either the other hens or chicks. And in fact, she has hatched eggs for me and been a wonderful mother to the chicks.

Faverolles

Faverolles are one of the most adorable chicken breeds. They come from France and come in one of two colors – either white or salmon. They have feathered feet and cheek muffs, making them some of the cutest, puffy little chickens. Faverolles chickens are so docile, they are often at the bottom of the pecking order, but their gentle nature makes them a perfect fit for a family flock. They are curious and active and tend to be a bit talkative as they lay pale cream-colored eggs.

Cochins

Cochins are another chicken breed that works well in a family flock of chickens as pets. Extremely calm and laid-back, they are large hens with feathered feet – originally bred in China as an ornamental breed.  They are hardy and perfectly content to lazily wander around the backyard. They lay large light brown eggs and can tend to go broody (sit on eggs until they hatch), but don’t generally turn into “broodzillas” like some other chicken breeds do, so if you want the experience of hatching some chicks under one of your hens, a cochin mom is the perfect choice. Cochins come in a variety of colors including black, white, blue and buff.

Olive Eggers

Now for some different colored chicken eggs. Kids and adults alike get excited about a little color in the egg basket! While I don’t find either Maran chickens (that lay chocolate brown eggs) or Ameraucana chickens (that lay blue eggs) to be terribly friendly chicken breeds, their offspring, the Olive Egger is a fun chicken for the backyard flock and calmer than their parents.
Olive Eggers, as their name suggests, lay gorgeous olive green eggs. The Olive Egger (not yet a recognized breed) was created by crossing a dark brown egg layer (such as a Marans, Penedesenca or Welsummer) and a blue egg layer (an Ameraucana, Araucana or Cream Legbar) to create the deep green color. In addition to the green eggs they lay, Olive Eggers have retained some of the best traits of their parent breeds and have feathered feet, cute cheek muffs and are beautiful chickens, usually a glossy black or beautiful lavender/blue. They are on the small side, which can be attractive to younger children, and not as flighty as the Ameraucanas and other blue egg laying chicken breeds.
Raising chickens as pets, as I mentioned above, is such a great pastime for the entire family. Choosing chicken breeds that don’t mind being picked up, love to be petted, and will follow you and your kids around like pet dogs makes the whole experience even more fun for everyone. Check out some of the five chicken breeds I recommend for your flock. I have personally raised them all, plus many other breeds, and find these five to be the friendliest, calmest, most “pet-like” hens. Even the roosters of these breeds are more docile and less aggressive than other roosters – another important thing to keep in mind when you start your backyard flock, especially if you have small children.
Photo credit: Sara B. from ChickinBoots!
What are your favorite chickens as pets? Can you add to this list?

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Ragged feathers?

The Ragged Feathers of Summer: 7 causes
    

http://blog.mypetchicken.com/2014/08/08/ragged-feathers-summer/
When your day old baby chick feathers in for the first time at 12 weeks old or so with her complete juvenile plumage, there’s almost nothing quite as beautiful. Each feather is shiny and new. And a perfectly-frocked, robin-sized bird that runs to you for affection is more exciting than most of us would care to admit (in public). Those perfect feathers don’t always stay perfect, though. Soon will come the ragged feathers of summer!

Ragged feathers? A few, but they’re not too ragged here. You can see feather loss in their beards, and just in front of rooster Francis’ tail.

There are a few common causes of missing or ragged feathers, many of which are more of an issue in the summer. If you’re seeing problems, take a few moments to review what may be happening to see if it needs to be addressed.

7 causes of ragged feathers in summer

(1) Mites, lice, and external parasites are often more active in warmer weather. Such parasites can cause feather loss or breakage from overpreening. You’ll need to deal with lice and mites if they are a problem in your flock.

(2) Internal parasites can be more active as well; nutritional deficiencies  caused by worms are more common in warm weather, too, and this can lead to ragged feather issues, or to feather loss. Deal with worms if your flock is infested.


(3) Having too many roosters in the flock (leading to too-frequent breeding and wear on back feathers) can be more of an issue in summer, too. Obviously, you’re not going to magically have twice as many roosters in osummer than you do at other times of year–it’s not that kind of seasonal issue! However, the breeding behavior of your roosters increases in spring… so by summer time, your hens’ back will have seen a good deal of wear and those ragged feathers could become a problem.

This Black Copper Marans hen has ragged feathers on her back

(4) In addition, if your hen’s diet has been too low in protein, it means your her feathers will not be able to take much wear to begin with. This is often a problem with those who want to spoil their hens with too much scratch, which is quite low in protein. It can also be a particular problem in summer if your hens have access to ripe, windfall fruit or berries from your yard, or if you offer your flock excess zucchini or corn from your garden. Treats are great in moderation, but hens need a high protein diet to maintain feather quality and to lay.




(5) This means also that your best layers will often have worn, broken or ragged feathers; they’re more prone to dedicate nutritional resources to egg production than breeds that lay less well.




(6) Of course, the heat of summer can increase irritability and cause hens to be more prone to pecking one another and picking feathers… in addition, the long hours of bright light, just in itself, can encourage aggressive picking, particularly if your flock doesn’t have sufficient space to forage, or if the run they have is bare of grass.




(7) Finally, late in the summer or early in autumn, molting begins. Molting is when your bird sheds her old feathers to grow new ones, and is, of course, not a health or management issue! It’s a natural part of her cycle. But keep in mind: this period is the most important time to provide a good quality, high protein diet for your flock, as this is when they’ll be growing in their new plumage for the following year.
Want to do your best to avoid ragged feathers next year? Make sure they have sufficient protein and that their feed is nutritionally balanced year round… but particularly during the annual molt.

My Chickens are Laying their first eggs!

What to Expect When You're Expecting
(Eggs from your Backyard Chickens)

July 22, 2013 https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/07/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting.html


It seems like only yesterday that you either hatched your chicks or they arrived from the feed store or in a box through the mail. But it's been almost 4 months and they are getting bigger.

You start to wonder when you can expect some eggs.  You might wonder what you need to do to prepare for the big day - when you peek into your nesting box and see that first egg from your backyard chickens!

I've been collecting eggs from our backyard chickens for nearly five years and did it as a kid for years as well, and I can tell you that the magic never wears off!

Every day is like Easter, especially if you have breeds that lay colored eggs.  But every egg is a miracle regardless of color.

So when will your pullets start laying and what can you do to help them lay nutritious eggs with nice hard shells? Read on...

Chicks, referred to as 'pullets' until they are a year old, will generally begin laying anywhere after week 18 - and usually by week 26 or so.

Some may start as early as week 16, but it's rare. Just before they start laying, they will start squatting when you approach them. This is a submissive posture they take, usually for a rooster or dominant hen, or you as the alpha hen.

You can expect eggs very soon after they start squatting.

You also may notice your soon-to-be-layers checking out the nesting boxes. They might even hop in and get comfortable, trying them on for size, so to speak. Put some fake eggs in the boxes to show them where they should lay their eggs.

Wooden or ceramic eggs, golf balls, plastic Easter eggs or even stones will help entice them to use the boxes.

Be sure your boxes stay full of soft nesting material.  Straw, pine shavings, shredded paper or even cloth or old towels are all good choices. A piece of rubber shelf liner cut to size in the bottom of the box can help prevent broken eggs in case the nesting material is pushed aside.

Keeping the nesting material fresh and clean helps keep the eggs clean. Eggs don't need to be washed after collecting them and will last for at least two weeks on the counter unwashed and un-refrigerated. For more on proper handling of eggs, read HERE.

Rule of thumb dictates one box for every 4-5 hens but realistically they will all want to lay their eggs in the same box. There's a school of thought that believes that seeing another egg in the box leads a hen to believe it's a safe place for her egg.

Another school of thought says the hens are all contributing to a mutual 'clutch' of eggs that one will then sit on to hatch the eggs.

So be prepared for nesting box 'wars' which can get very noisy and animated and often lead to two or even three hens crammed into the same box at the same time!

Keep your pullets on the starter/grower feed until around week 16 or thereabouts. I try to time it so that I use up my last bag of starter feed somewhere around that time frame, then I switch to the layer feed at that point.

Layer feed has the additional calcium that the hens need to form hard shells on their eggs.

While layer feed won't 'make' them lay, it does provide them all the nutrients they need to lay healthy eggs with strong shells. I mix in some supplements to my Breakfast of Champion Layers for increased egg production and flock health.

It has oats, flax seed, probiotics, brewers yeast and dried, crushed herbs for optimal health.

About the same time I switch to the layer feed, I also put out a dish of crushed oyster shell (once they start laying, you will want to start crushing up their egg shells to feed back to them.)

This source of additional calcium should always be fed free-choice so hens can eat as much or as little as they need. 

A chicken lays an egg approximately once every 26 hours.  Sometimes if two yolks are released into the oviduct too close together, you might get a double-yolked egg.

They are more common in younger layers. Sometimes you might see a tiny egg, about the size of a marble, commonly called a 'fairy egg' or a 'wind egg'.  It's just a glitch in production and also common in new layers.  

No chicken lays an egg every day, although a world record-laying hen, an Australorp, did lay 364 eggs in 365 days, but the norm for most breeds is somewhere in the 200-300 eggs/year range so there is no need to worry if your hens skip a day or two here or there.

Normally you should expect 4-6 eggs per hen per week, depending on the breed and time of year.  Many factors can affect egg production, so you want to provide your hens good-quality layer feed, a calcium supplement, fresh water and a clean, safe place to spend their days and nights for maximum production.

After she lays her egg, the hen will sing her 'egg song'.  She seems to either be letting everyone know of her accomplishment or (which I believe) she is making a commotion to lure any potential predators away from the nest.  Either way, be prepared for lots of celebratory cackling soon from the coop!

With just a few simple preparations, you should be enjoying fresh backyard eggs any day now.  And trust me, the magical feeling never goes away.

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What do you know about Chicken Poop?

Sooner or later the subject is going to come up. Knowing what healthy and/or sick chicken poop looks like is just a part of being a chicken owner. First things first, chickens have one exit vent. Chicken poop and Chicken pee are one in the same, and the eggs come out of the same vent. If you made it that far and are still wanting to know about Chicken Poop read on..... If not, no worry, not everyone can stomach looking at and discussing chicken poop.

Anice

All About Chicken Poop - Green, Brown, Black and Everything In Between

March 15, 2016

https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2016/03/all-about-chicken-poop-brown-black-and.html

Normal chicken poop can range from all shades of brown, to green, yellow or even black. The range of "normal" varies by hen, diet, time of year and overall health - as well as what type of feces it is; broody, cecal or "everyday".

By monitoring your chickens' output, you can often get an early indication that something is wrong, but be sure to know the range of normal so you don't overreact to sudden changes.

Case in point: Chicken droppings are generally some shade of brown and fairly solid in consistency, with a sort of fluffy white cap on top. The solid is fecal matter - the digested and partially digested food - while the white part is the urates/uric acid, or what would otherwise be urine in another animal (or human).

So when I noticed black droppings in the run awhile back, my first instinct was to panic. Normally black droppings indicate blood in the stool, which is indicative of internal bleeding - not a good thing.

Then it dawned on me that I have been emptying our ash pail from the wood stove into the chickens' dust bath. As they bathe, they've been eating the ashes. As a result, nearly all of them are now pooping solid black poop!

-droppings from a chicken that has been eating a diet high in wood ash-

Wood ash is actually beneficial for the chickens. It contains Vitamin K which is a blood clotting agent; it also works as a detoxifier, flushing toxins from the body, similar to how charcoal pills work in cases of human poisoning.

Wild animals have been observed eating charred wood after a forest fire for the same reasons. So I figure a bit of charcoal in their diet is a very good thing, ridding their bodies of any built up toxins. Nothing to worry about at all.

This was a prime example of why you can't immediately panic - or over react. While "normal" chicken droppings are usually brown and a soft, mushy consistency, there are perfectly benign reasons why your chicken poop might look different from time to time.

It's good to be able to recognize the differences and what might cause them, so you can do a bit of detective work before you automatically reach for your vet's phone number. Here are some of the more common colors/causes of chicken poop:

Greenish Droppings

Could possibly be: Internal worms, Marek's disease, Avian flu

More likely cause: Diet high in greens, weeds, grasses and vegetables

-healthy green poop due to frequent free ranging and leafy green treats from the garden-

Yellowish Droppings

Could possibly be: Coccidiosis, fowl typhoid, internal worms or kidney malfunction

More likely cause: Eating certain foods, such as forsythia blossoms, as Lissa from My Pet Chicken found out, strawberries or corn

Black Droppings

Could possibly be: Internal bleeding

More likely cause: Eating charcoal, blackberries or other dark purple or blue foods

Runny Brown Droppings

Could possibly be: E.coli or infectious bronchitis

More likely cause: Eating foods high in liquid content, cecal poop (usually stickier, more pudding-like consistency that occurs once out of every 7-8 times a hen poops - perfectly normal)

-perfectly normal cecal poop-

White or Clear Runny Droppings

Could possibly be: Vent gleet, kidney damage from high protein diet, stress or internal disease

More likely cause: Greater than normal water intake (such as in the summer) or eating lots of water-laden treats such as watermelon, celery or cucumbers

Large Piles of Brown Droppings

When a hen is sitting on eggs, i.e. "broody", instead of pooping the dozen or so times she normally would each day, she holds it and waits, only leaving her nest several times a day. As a result, she will leave a huge pile of (generally) smelly poop. This broody poop is completely normal.

-huge pile of broody poop-

Teal Droppings

Could possibly be:???

More likely cause: Diet heavy in red cabbage, beets and beet tops



-perfectly normal greenish-teal duck droppings-

Orange or Red Droppings

Could possibly be: Coccidiosis or lead poisoning

More likely cause: Sloughing off of the intestinal lining. The orange strands or particles are often mistaken for blood. This is entirely normal to find in the droppings occasionally.



-intestinal lining shed in a chick's droppings, no cause for alarm-

-droppings with sloughed off intestinal lining in an adult hen-

So as you can see, "normal" chicken droppings come in all colors, shapes and sizes. Generally it's nothing to worry about if they vary from time to time, especially if you can pinpoint the reason.  

However,there is ONE time when you should be alarmed. And that's if you definitely see blood in the droppings. 

-droppings from a chicken with a confirmed case of coccidiosis-

Note: True bloody droppings, especially if accompanied by a hunched over or fluffed up hen, could signal coccidiosis, a serious parasitic disease of the intestine. If you suspect coccidiosis, please bring a fecal sample to your vet ASAP to have it diagnosed and begin the suggested treatment.

Chickens for the 4th of July?

Creating a Patriotic Chicken Flock

I just could not pass this one up. Enjoy! Have a wonderful 4th, Anice


By Janet Garman
https://timbercreekfarmer.com/creating-patriotic-chicken-flock/

Do you like a patriotic chicken flock? You may just like the color scheme of red, white and blue. I like to do holiday photos of my chickens for the blog.  In the summer I like to have a patriotic flock.  I decorate the coop with American flags, and plant red, white and blue flowering plants. Now this doesn’t mean that I get rid of the red white and blue chickens or the flowers after the photo op is over!  It just gives me some special girls to choose for photos, when Memorial Day arrives, followed closely by the 4th of July.

What Breeds are Red, White and Blue 

Here’s a listing of breeds that could fill this need for you.  Maybe you buy for a certain look, or prefer a variety.  Most of these breeds are widely available whether you want a patriotic flock  or  one more naturally camouflaged.  If this is something that appeals to you, too, order your chicks in early Spring, so they have some feather growth before the summer holidays come around.  Just keep in mind that chickens are a long term responsibility.  Plan on taking good care of your patriotic chicken flock for seven to ten years.
 If you want your chickens to be fully feathered before the summer red, white and blue holidays, early Spring is the time to begin raising a patriotic chicken flock.

Choosing Breeds for a Patriotic Chicken Flock

Red Chicken Breeds
Rhode Island Red
New Hampshire
Production Red
Red Sex Link
Cinnamon Queen (a variety of production red )

White Chicken Breeds
Delaware
Light Brahma
White Rock
White Leghorn
California White
White Ameraucanas



And Your Blue Chicken Breeds
Delaware Blue
Iowa Blue (nearing extinct status)
Blue Laced Andulasians
Lavender Orpingtons (they are really a greyish not really purple)
Blue Copper Marans
Blue Polish
Blue Cochins

Don’t forget to throw in a few golden chickens for the stars.
Buff Orpingtons
Buff Brahmas
Golden Comets
Gold Stars
Now that you have your patriotic chicken flock set up, you can add plants and flags to the run and have the best patriotic coop in town.
Good Holiday Safety Reminders
Remember, fireworks can startle your pets and livestock.  Have your furry and feathered critters locked up secure before dark so they don’t fly away or run off during fireworks.
Summer means hot weather for many of us.  Keep the water cool by frequently changing it out and refilling. A shallow pan of water for the chickens to stand in will help them cool down too.

What Picnic Foods are Ok for the Flock?

Some traditional picnic food is good for your flock, too. Watermelon is a big favorite. Save the corn cobs for the chickens too.  Leftover green salad is a good treat too, and some tomatoes are fine as long as no tomato leaves or plants are tossed in too.  Other typical summer salads such as mayonnaise based macaroni salad might upset their digestion.  I don’t feed our chickens potatoes, so a potato salad would not be fed to our flock.  A vinegar based pasta salad in moderation should  be ok but make sure there is no avocado involved.

AdChoices

A good rule of thumb with kitchen table scraps is moderation.  The flock members will love the treat but its not good to overload them with richly prepared people food either.
 

Note – I would never recommend getting chickens or any animal for frivolous reasons.  If you would like to own Red, White or Blue chickens or gray and brown chickens, remember that they will require care for up to ten years. This includes daily care, food, shelter and water.  Please care for animals responsibly. I wrote this as a change of pace from my usual posts.  I hope you found some entertainment in it and some useful information regarding holiday celebrations and your chicken flock.  Thanks for reading!