are chickens pets?

[duckinnut]

The survey needs a "somewhere in between" box. While I don't consider them pets nor do I consider them livestock. I do treat them well but probably let nature take its course on things. I look at it as a partnership between us. I give them food,water,a few treats including scratch,a comfortable place to stay and a safe place to roam. In turn they give me eggs which I sell to pay for their feed and make a couple bucks and have eggs for myself. That's not to say that I don't have favorites, Loosey a RSL laying machine is still pumping out eggs at 2 1/2 years old is like a dog, follows me everywhere. If I leave the cellar door open she just invites herself in, working around the yard she is underfoot. I don't think she is a pet but not livestock, this is my conundrum.

 

[Fancychooklady]

There is nothing I love to do more than sit with my chooks and have my morning tea. Anything that brings a smile

to my face and makes me think about the way of the world definitely falls under the prefix " FRIEND "

 

[nuts4hotwheels]

My girls are definitely pets. We have them for pets first and eggs second and my girls will never be eaten.

 

[Humpty doo girl]

Yes I have one red hen that loves my grand kids and me of course and runs to the gate and waits to be picked up and cuddled its so cute to see .

 

[feltingfrenzy]

I agree and like your reply, "...pets with a purpose..." I keep the safety of my barred rocks and wyandottes foremost in my daily routine, feed them good quality organic feed, fresh water and a (relatively) clean living space. My chickens go out to free range in the afternoon and are closed up at night in their coop. However, I don't name them or cuddle with them. The girls are "working girls" and are there to lay eggs, and the rooster is there to do his job, too. If someone stops doing their job, then decisions are made on how to move forward.

 

[Epreciado]

My chickens started out as a multiple purpose bird. People would come over and see them and ask if we named them and I would point and say, "deep fried, rottisiery, baked, BBQ" and so forth.

When I told my DW of this tread and asked her what she thought her comment was. " when we had to move houses, and rent. The first question out of you're mouth was can we have chickens. Definitely pets"

Long story short. PETS.

 

[Our Roost]

I think ours believe they are more than pets, especially when we have treats for them! Funny how they fight over me for position in the feeding order.

 

[ChickenGirl22]

My chickens are pets for sure! We do our best to make sure they are happy and healthy and we love them to pieces! I would never even think of hurting them in any way, even our boys stick around.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Mine are pets in the sense that they all have names and I'm not going to eat them (I'm a vegetarian anyway). I can only have four in this residential neighborhood. Three out of four tolerate me holding them, but the fourth does not. I definitely enjoy them and enjoy feeding them produce leftovers and watching their antics, but it's not like they are in the house cuddling with us like the dogs are. So I would say that they are pets and not pets at the same time.

 

[Dawna]

My husband calls my chickens my therapy. A couple of years ago I was getting over a medical problem and the chickens kept my mind on them most of the time. They were so much fun to watch.
My first "batch" of chickens were 2 Plymouth Rock (1 turned out to be a rooster), 2 RIR, 4 Americaunas (1 was a rooster). The Am. rooster was beautiful and very protective of his hens. He took a dislike to our grandson. After he chased our grandson through our orchard we gave him (the chicken) away to a neighbor. The other rooster had to be dispatched when he threatened me. I say I could eat one of them, but so far haven't. I have a little chicken graveyard going.
I havn['t named them because I don't want to get that attached to them. I lost one chicken this spring to a 4-legged predator. (We have coyotes, bobcats, racoons, skunks, etc.) I think it was a bobcat. I bought 5 SLW this spring, one was smothered by a snake. It was too big for the snake to swallow. They are beautiful.
All the chickens are free range. They follow me when I go out for anything. I usually am going to the compost pile and they like to scratch around there. Also, when my husband mows, the SLW follow him around finding bugs that he scares up.
I "talk" to the chickens when I go out to let them out of their coop or when I close them in. I can get them to come pretty quick, sometimes by rattling a can that has cat food in it. They love cat food.