Birds of Egg-cellence! 7 Chicken Breeds You Can Raise in Your Backyard
Maybe it's a growing trend of getting back to basics, maybe it's the economy -- whatever the reason -- keeping chickens as pets is a growing trend, even for city dwellers. There are even clubs for those who fancy poultry as pets, and competitive shows where owners can show off their beautiful Bantams. The clubs and shows are generally overseen by the American Poultry Association. While regulations vary on chicken ownership from town to town, even many urban communities allow for a small number of hens.
Marci Riseman, mom of two, has kept chickens in her San Francisco backyard for three years.
"I consider our chickens to be somewhere between pets and farm animals," she said. "It's a strange relationship that I've never had before, and I find it leaves me with different expectations. We feed our cat and all we expect is love and a full litterbox; we feed our chickens and we expect them to produce eggs."
Don't expect to start a roadside egg-selling stand (which is probably also regulated in your town, by the way) with just a few hens.
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"Right now we have three chickens, and are getting two eggs a day," said Marci. "This means that someone is not laying. We can't tell who the freeloader is, since they all spend time in the laying box; without a strategically-placed ChickenCam we'll never know who isn't pulling her weight egg-wise. I love having these creatures in our yard," said Marci. "They are beautiful - those weird spindly feet are actually very graceful in motion … and the feathers, oh the feathers! -- and funny, and friendly, and they are a great live-action science experiment every day in our own back yard."
Marci describes herself as "an urban homesteader at heart" who makes her own jam and sauerkraut, and cooks or bakes most of what her family eats. She and her family also grow fruits and vegetables in a small garden.
"I would totally have a goat and an orchard and acres of blueberry bushes if we had the land and my husband wouldn't divorce me over it," jokes Marci. "Especially the goat. Just being with the chickens while I pull weeds or hang out with the kids or friends in the yard makes me happy. Chickens are a small way to bring nature closer in to our noisy, urban lives."
I asked Marci if she and her family eat the chickens, or just the eggs.
"We don't eat the chickens. Partly because of the part-pet thing; the kids would be beyond horrified. And partly because it would be disgusting to slaughter our own animals, though I'm sure I could get over that part with practice. At first it did freak me out to eat something that came out of the rear end of something that lives in our back yard. It made me realize how disassociated we are from our food; I don't mind eating something that comes out of the rear end of a chicken I can't see? I got over it, though, and now I adore eating their eggs."
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If you're considering keeping chickens, the first and most important step is to find out what your community's regulations are. Your town's public health department can help you with that. If chickens are allowed, you can use a tool like the "Which Chicken?" Breed Selector Tool at mypetchicken.com to help find breeds that are suitable for your climate and your interests.
Another particularly helpful resource is backyardchickens.com, which includes lots of ideas about coops, owner reviews of a vast number of breeds, and a thriving online community in which to discuss and ask questions about laws, breeds, problem solving, and other issues. Their Learning Center section has great information for those just getting started, as well as long-time chicken owners.
The most amazing thing about chickens is that there's a huge variety that are suited to backyard raising. So, if you're thinking about getting a chicken for a pet, you'll have a vast selection to choose from to suit your personal taste!
Here are 7 chicken breeds that you can raise in your backyard!
1. The Silkie
This beautiful, fluffy chicken comes in a variety of colors and is great for a family because it's usually, calm and friendly.
2. The Cochin
If you want a chicken that reminds you more of a turkey wearing Uggs, then this one is for you! Plus, it's also friendly and quiet -- so it's great for everyone.
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3. The Delaware
Ah, the classic-looking chicken -- perfect for the traditionalists out there. This bird is suited well for all climates and a heavy egg layer -- talk about free breakfast!
4. The Appenzeller Spitzhauben
One for the fashionistas out there -- this fancy polka-dotted chicken is a free roamer and don't like to be confined much. They also roost in trees -- something to good to remember!
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5. The Easter Egger
This isn't an "official" breed, but this chicken is a pretty awesome bird - c'mon - it lays eggs that are actually blue, green and pink! Easter all year!
6. The Leghorn
If you ever watched cartoons as a kid and want a reminder of Foghorn Leghorn running around in your backyard to remember to good ol' days, then you might want to consider this chicken. Ahh, the memories!
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7. The Polish
The fluff ball also comes in several colors and also in the varieties of "bearded" and "non-bearded" -- another great selection for the fashionistas, but beware that their excessive amounts of feathers tend to interfere with their vision and can cause erratic behavior.
- By Joslyn Gray
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