Raising Pet Chickens

[tallyho8]

I know that most of you raise chickens for meat or eggs but I was wondering how many raise them as pets. I have always enjoyed having chickens and I decided to get a few rare breeds to raise for fun.

Most of these are 12 weeks old that I got from McMurray Hatchery. My favorites are my Golden Polish in the first 2 photos. I call them Larry, Curly and Moe but they are supposed to be hens.

The next is my Birchen Cochin Bantam. Next is my Sultan Bantam.

The last 2 photos are my Old English Bantam Game Rooster and hen with her 2 chicks. I've had them the longest and have always been amazed at the determination that these hens have to protect their young and how these roosters will always fight to the death to protect their flock from intruders. I lost my last rooster last year when he flew down from his roost to attack a coyote that was trying to get in the chicken pen.

 

[EddieWalker]

Never thought of that before. Kind of a neat collection that you have there. Do you keep them in a pen all the time? or just at night? Do they all get along with each other?

Eddie

 

[Wacky]

Yeah, like Eddie said!! And are you able to handle them or do they try and attack you around the youngins'?

 

[Bird]

When I was a kid, we always had a flock of chickens; white leghorn, dominecker, Rhode Island Red, etc. for meat and eggs, but I used to have a pair of Bantam hens and one rooster. And that little Bantam rooster would sure chase off the bigger roosters if they came near his two hens.

Right now, here in town, I have an 81 year old next door neighbor who has one Rhode Island Red hen and says she lays an egg a day.

 

[Egon]

Some interesting looking chicken there.:thumbsup:

Is it difficult to get pure breeds of the non commercial chickens.

 

[20 20]

Thanks for sharing the pictures, we finally got around to getting chicks this year. We got 10 white leghorns for eggs, but we also have fun watching them.

 

[tallyho8]

Eddie, I pen the chickens up at night but like to let them loose in the day to free range. If our fox, dog or coyote problem gets bad again I may have to get another Great Pyrenees to watch my chickens and goats.

Most of them get along very well with each other but occasionally one will pick on another one and we just put them in separate areas.

The little Bantam Old English Game roosters will usually rule the roost and chase away the large roosters.

A couple of other breeds I have are Bantam Silkies like in the first photo. They appear to have hair instead of feathers. The second photo is a Partridge Cochin Bantam.

They are about half grown now and their appearance will still change some as they mature.

Usually the roosters are the most beautiful and awesome looking in all of the exotic breeds but it is hard to keep too many roosters around without separating them. And I won't be getting very large eggs but I will be getting a lot of them. :licking:

Egon, you can get just about any breed of chickens from McMurray Hatchery in Iowa. The mailman delivers them right to your door.

 

[Kyle241]

We are getting our first chickens in a couple weeks, 4 Plymouth Rock and 2 Rhode Island Reds. Boring compared to yours! Ours will be pets and we'll use the eggs for our pups who love boiled eggs. I'm sure we'll enjoy a few along the way as well.

 

[guyrj33]

We have had chickens for about 10 years now and for the first time purchased some fancy bantams at the local Agway store. We have always treated the chickens like pets.
Fresh eggs are the best.

 

[Egon]

Egon, you can get just about any breed of chickens from McMurray Hatchery in Iowa

Thanks.:thumbsup:

 

[bp fick]

I don't believe the hatcheries ship across international borders, however.
There are a good number of Canadian hatcheries that will serve you.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

We know someone that raises them for eggs and pets. They even have names. We got to "chicken sit" once and we had to bring the list of names so we would not mix them up.

 

[dcyrilc]

Egon, you can get just about any breed of chickens from McMurray Hatchery in Iowa. The mailman delivers them right to your door.

Have they got a website and do you have a link?

 

[phiferpharm]

Took the granddaughter to a farm festival and she wanted some chicks. Got a couple, then figured I needed a different way to house them. I downloaded a set of plans for a "Chicken Ark" and picked up the materials today. Plans seem pretty straight-forward and I think the only modification I'm gonna do is add a set of wheels that can be detached on one end of the setup.

Since Miss Cynthia is spending her summer break with me, it should be a fun thing for her to do and maybe a good learning experience for her. She already told me when she grows up (she's 8) that she is going to live on the farm and ride a horse instead of having a car. Sure that won't last, but it is nice that she enjoys being out on the property.

 

[RobertBrown]

I have 2 Serama hens.
If you think of chikens as pets they make a lot of sense.They are very self reliant, easy to care for, and make good insect hunters around the garden.
From what I have learned, chickens can be addictive, especially if there is a woman involved. They just want more and different breeds.
It's important to remember that they will need a coop. There's a guy here on TBN that has a chicken house that is bigger than the house I grew up in.
Here is a good website to use if you are considering getting some chickens. After keeping these hens, I recomend getting a few if it suits your conditions.
BackYardChickens Forum

 

[tallyho8]

Have they got a website and do you have a link?

It's Murray McMurray Hatchery

 

[RobertN]

Years ago my Grandparents had a friend who was great with animal. He had a chicken, a Barred Rock if i remember right. That chicken would sit on his shoulder. The chicken would ride in the car with him, either on his shoulder, or on the set-top next to him. He had a roost bar in the livingroom, just like a parrot. In fact, you would have thought that chicken was an overgrown, well mannered and trained parrot!

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

Could he talk?

 

[RobertN]

In a clucky kind of way

Don't remember it being very vocal, although our Barred Rocks are some times.

Could he talk?

 

[dcyrilc]

It's Murray McMurray Hatchery

Thanks