How to Keep a Pet Chicken

You probably think of chickens only food sources or dancing TV characters, but there are many people who keep these birds as pets. You might not want to think about that the next time you sit in front of an oven-stuffed roaster, but you can adopt a chicken as part of your family.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Choose the right chicken food. Buy layer feed for egg-laying chickens and starter feed for younger chickens. Buy a feeder that either hangs or stands off the ground so that your pet doesn't contaminate her own food.

2. Change the water daily. Chickens don't like dirty water and won't drink if the water isn't relatively fresh. They can quickly become dehydrated, so make sure that you provide water every day in a waterer that hangs or stands like your feeder.

3. Throw scratch around. This is the equivalent of catnip for chickens, so give it only as a treat. Scratch is a combination of grains including corn, wheat and rye; you just throw it on the ground and let them peck away.

4. Aid digestion with grit. Chickens don't have teeth, so you need to provide poultry grit in containers or add it to their feed. The small rocks help break down the feed before it passes on to the stomach.

5. Make a comfortable bed. One of your options is pine wood shavings, which provide maximum absorbency for droppings. There are other options for chicken bedding, but whatever you choose, it needs to be soft so it can harbor eggs.

6. Allow the chicken to get as dirty as she likes. Dust baths are an essential part of the chicken's routine, as they prevent lice and mites from nesting in feathers. If your pet's home doesn't have a dry dirt patch, make your own dusting powder and fill a box 6-inches deep.

7. Provide a safe home. If you decide to keep your pet chicken in a coop, close the door to it every night before you retire. If your chickens are free-range, provide shelter from predators.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're going out of town for a few days, you can leave chickens unattended provided that you leave them with enough food and water.
• Change the bedding monthly for maximum sanitation.
• Give your coop a thorough scrub-down twice a year, including all feeders and waterers.
• Don't feed your chickens any bones, citrus fruits or peels, garlic, onion or large servings of meat.
• Resist the temptation to bring your coop indoors or heat it during the winter months so that your chicken can adapt to cold temperatures.
• To prevent heat-related deaths, provide shade and fresh water at all times during hot, humid summer months.

Resources

• Provides information and products for chicken care
• Online resource and community for avian hobbyists

[brandy1123]

on 8/30/2008 thanks for the tips