Many cities and towns have laws preventing you from keeping chickens, so before getting one as a pet, check with your city or town office to see what the law is where you live. Most rural areas have no laws regarding chickens, although everyone, particularly your neighbours, would prefer if you do not let them run loose. As a child living in a rural area of Vancouver Island in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, my dad always had a pet chicken. The last one he had, that he left behind when he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, lived to be 13 years old. She was a bantam hen with feathers on the tops of her feet. He called her “Feather Foot” and she followed him around the rural property like a dog. Whenever he was going fishing in the creek running through the property, he would dig worms and make sure that Feather Foot got to eat some before he left.
One year, when she started to brood, he replaced her eggs with several duck eggs. She hatched out four ducklings and it was amusing to see her trying to cover the ducklings with her wings. She proudly strutted around the chicken run with her large “chicks” following along behind. The first time they went swimming in the creek she was quite upset until she realized they could swim. After that she called all the other chickens down to the creek to show them what her “chicks” could do. It was quite a sight to see.
When he came home on his first annual leave after being away for over a year, he went to check on Feather Foot. The moment he entered the chicken run, she came running up to greet him. You wouldn’t think a chicken could have a memory like that, but she sure did.
The one thing that is amazing about a lot of so-called “experts,” is that they do not give credit to animals, birds, fish or reptiles of having any personality, memory or sense of humor. My family has found, from personal experience, that all have these abilities. So, when an “expert” tells you that they do everything they do from instinct, don’t believe him or her. All species have the ability to reason, remember and show their sense of humor, if you just spend time truly watching them and how they react to things. Now, onto today’s posting about chickens as pets.
There are many different types of hens. The silky bantam hens are prolific layers. Some even lay eggs with a pretty, pale-green shell. They make quiet, quaint pets for the children.
Other hens are larger and more robust and come in a variety of colors: black, brown, white or speckled. They all eat bugs, snails and slugs along with their laying pellets - good news if you are trying to reduce the number of these pests!
Chickens can be bought as "day olds" (under a week old) or "week olds" (over a week). You can buy them fully grown too, but they make better pets when bought young. Make sure you buy from a reputable breeder who can tell what sex they are. The neighbors will not be pleased to be woken at dawn by a rooster crowing.
A young chicken will need to be kept inside where it will be warm, until it is older. A newspaper lined cardboard carton with sawdust or straw in the bottom is fine. A day old chick will benefit from the extra warmth of a pretend mother. To make this, push many strips of fabric through a hole in a strong piece of cardboard and hang it so it dangles to the floor of the box. This is a good job for the children. The chick will run straight into it and be perfectly content. Alternatively, you could use a new string mop head.
To make a drinking trough that the chicken will not fall into or tip over, take an empty food can (tin) and hammer a nail hole through each side just under the rim. Fill with water and place a saucer, upside down, over it. Hold the saucer tightly against the can and invert the whole thing quickly and you will see that water trickles out of the holes, but stops when the level rises high enough to cover the holes in the can. It's a fascinating experiment for the children. Another saucer or tin pie plate to hold the special chicken growing mash and a plastic lid to hold a bit of chicken grit are all you will need. Of course, keep the bottom of the box clean and dry.
When the chick gets older, change the food to chicken mash. Then when the chicken is full grown, change the food to laying pellets.
The hen will need a warm, dry place to live outside. An old aviary is fine, but it's not much trouble to hammer in some stakes, wrap wire mesh around them and fasten a piece of plywood over the top. This will keep the hen safe from stray dogs while you are away. It will also keep the hen from flying out.
Remember that a hen is actually a bird and it is natural for birds to roost in trees. Make a perch for your hen by poking an old broom handle through the mesh of its cage at least one meter (3 feet) above the ground. Check on whether your hen is actually roosting. Some hens need to be taught. Dusk is the right time to gently pick up the hen and place it on the perch. It will soon realize what it is supposed to do.
A small drum, box or even a dog kennel filled with straw will make an ideal nest for your hen to lay eggs. If you use a larger dog kennel, it can double as a nest and a night shelter too, with the simple addition of the perch. Or if you have a garden shed, the hen will not mind sharing with a few rakes and spades. If you live in an area where the winters are snowy, it will be best to keep your hen in the barn, a shed or a chicken coop.
As with any hobby, take your time, enjoy and learn along the way! If you do not know anything about chickens, purchase a book from a pet store, an agricultural store or from the Department of Agriculture.
Until next time
Teia
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