RAISING PET CHICKENS

What you need to know

Chickens are inexpensive, self-sufficient and relatively easy to take care of. In return, they offer delicious fresh eggs and lots of entertainment!

To live happy and healthy lives, chickens need to be fed and watered daily and have their coop cleaned out weekly. They need to be let out every morning and then shut back in at night. So that you don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn or worry about predators getting into their coop during the night, check out an automatic door opener at chickenguard.com.au.

Like us, chickens have individual personalities

– and their good and bad days. Generally sociable, they enjoy human interaction, especially if they’ve been handled from a young age.

Certain breeds are known to be particularly friendly and easygoing to own, such as the loveable Pekin Bantam or the cuddly Silkie. These guys have fur-like plumage that requires regular washing and brushing.

The Dutch-bred Welsummer chickens love a free-range environment. Want to protect your garden? The not-so-keento-graze Buff Opringtons may be a better fit. Breeds popular for egg size, taste and frequency are the Australorp, Rhode Island Red, Leghorn, Sussex, Plymouth Rock and the crossbreed ISA Brown.

When picking a chicken, consider the environment you live in, what you want the chickens for and how often you are at home. You’ll become a chicken ‘eggspert’ in no time!