Pet Chickens -        

What do they have in common with Teddy Bears, Psychologists, Omelets, and Happy Kids?

I'll explain in just a minute, but first . . .

Thanks for visiting.

If you want information about the new "cool pets" . . . you're in the right place. Keeping pet chickens is an inexpensive and fascinating hobby your whole family can enjoy.

I've been raising chickens for more than twenty years, so that's given me a pretty good perspective on the question above. I'm also totally addicted to this great hobby.

When I got my first little flock I can still remember the anguish  of deciding which ones to choose. There I was with my raspberry picking money in my hot little hands, and my head was spinning. The lady I bought them from had Aracaunas, Mille Fleurs, Silkies, Black Sumatras. You name ‘em she had at least one of each breed.  But I had to narrow my choices to just seven hens and one rooster . . . 

Of course, I ended up with a good assortment, joined a 4-H group, and showed my chickens in the fair every year all the way through junior high and high school. Then I joined the Navy.

But I really loved my pet chickens . . . so before I left for boot camp I asked my parents to keep my little flock so they’d be there when I came home on leave. My Dad agreed to take on the chore.

By the time I got out of the Navy he’d become rather attached to Cleopatra, Henrietta, Millie, Penny, Mamasan, Jenny, Half a One, and the patriarch of the flock, Sheriff Feather Foot . . .

Probably because my chickens were a lot like Teddy Bears . . .

My Dad became captivated and charmed by the personalities of the chickens in my little flock and learned how fun and easy it is to tame and make pets out of them. When you get yours ( I can almost guarantee) you'll be affected in the same way. Give them some snuggle time and some treats, then they'll begin following you around and watching your every move. You can train them with snacks like bites of fruit, berries, or bread. Some of mine fly up on my shoulders when I go outside to take care of them.

Chickens love to be held by their human masters; they’re soft, cuddly, and will fall asleep in your arms. You can even hypnotize them . . . a girl in my 4-H group loved doing that as a practical joke . . . people thought something terrible had happened to her pet rooster, then he'd all-of-a-sudden come back to life. She got a kick out of seeing the look of shock on their faces.

You sure won't feel lonely when you have chickens as pets. And, you'll get that same relaxed and contented feeling of security you had when you fell asleep with your teddy bear as a little kid. Only, I don't know anyone who actually sleeps with their pet chicken.

Some people keep a couple of hens in their house, though. You can actually buy diapers for them, I've heard. A truck driver I see a few times a week at my second job told me he passed one particular house every single day on his route and always admired what he thought were chicken figurines in the window . . . 'til one day he saw one of 'em move.

I think he's become somewhat interested in getting a couple of pet chickens of his own . . . will definitely keep encouraging him.

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