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That's right! When it comes to pets, chickens are often over looked but they are very easy to look after and can be such fun.

Of course pet chickens are also productive giving you fresh eggs for breakfast and meat for the table. What more could you look for in pets? Chickens have it all!

When considering any pets, (chickens are no exception) you need to know:

What food do they need?

What do they need in terms of care?

What about a pet chicken coop?

So let's answer these questions.

What Food Do You Need For Your New Pets? Chickens Are Not Picky.

If chickens can free range they will find a great deal of their food from the ground. Throughout the summer months they should extract roughly 1/2 to 2/3 of their needs from foraging and scratching about but in the winter this drops to perhaps about 1/3.

When chickens live inside a pen or enclosure they may get very little from the ground although you can help, if their pen is large enough, by planting certain greens for them. If moved regularly this also helps as they will access a resh batch of ground grubs and worms each time which adds significantly to their diet.

Many pre-made feeds are available. Chickens often like mixed corn and seem to prefer it over the pellets but as pellets offer a more balanced nutrition they should not be excluded - especially where hens are confined.

Don't be put off from mixing your own traditional feed. You can find some recipes for poultry ration here.

We prefer to mix our own rather than buying pre-formed pellets. It's not only cheaper but we know exactly what's in it! We also grow various plants that they love for both winter and summer.

Care Requirements Of Your New Pets. Chickens Are Not Demanding.

Like all pets, chickens require a certain amount of care but they are not demanding although they appreciate routine. More detail can be found again on my Chickens For Pets page but in brief, before committing to owning chickens make sure you are able to....

Close your chickens into a safe secure area at night, protected from predators.

Open up their coop in the mornings and then shut them away again at dusk.

Give them fresh ground to live on by moving their house regularly or allowing them to free range.

Feed them and provide fresh clean water at all times.

Have a large enough coop to avoid crowding and allow natural behavior.

For more detail on the most suitable pet chicken coop for your flock see my Pet Chicken Coop page but here are the basics:

Just The Same As Other Pets, Chickens Require Decent Housing.

Having an appropriate pet chicken coop goes a long way to making sure your chickens stay happy, healthy and productive. You might build your own or choose from the wide array available to buy.

Buying or building you'll still need to know a bit about coops before you start. You can learn all the details of sizing and features on our pet chicken coop page.

In brief, any pet chicken coop should include as a minimum:

Adequate space for the chickens to behave naturally

A dry draught free place to sleep

A nesting area that is dark

Somewhere to keep food dry

It wants to be easy to clean

Portable unless your chickens can range freely during the day.

Made of pressure treated timber.

Well although this was only a brief article I hope it will encourage you to consider keeping chickens for pets. They are rewarding and easy to keep.

LA animal rescue

animal charity

This online shop features a wide selection of pet chicken coops ranging from those suitable for just a pair of hens up to 10 or more chickens.