How many chickens are we talking about? I think it might be doable (with lots of paperwork) if there are only 2-4. I don’t really think it’s possible with any more than that.
I am glad you have familiarized yourself with how things are in Ecuador. Hope that includes Spanish!
Chicken raising down here is a little different that what you are probably accustomed to.
Warning: If anything were ever to happen to one of your pet chickens, like a vehicle running it over or a dog getting it, it will be very hard to get ANY compensation. If you get any compensation, it will only be $5 to 15, or the food value of the chicken.
These countries aren’t lawyered up and don’t have the pet culture that the US or European countries have.
“Sully’s Street Dog Dinners” is an example of how expats take the local dogs and cats under their wings in Ecuador. Expats often take interest in spay/neuter so there are fewer unwanted and unloved animals on the streets. Expats who have a little extra to contribute help a lot with the stray dog problem in Ecuador. They help cats, too!
In Latin America, most people see chickens as a source of eggs or occasional sancocho (chicken and plantain soup). Imagine how it was in the US in the 1920s. People loved their chickens, but they also ate them sometimes.
When I came to this farm, there were around 10 chickens. After some losses from neighbors’ dogs, the flock never grew the way I wanted it to. Although I demanded compensation (fair market value, not pet value), I never got paid for the birds I lost due to the dog that “La Gorda” was taking care of.
In order to have a good flock, we had to invest quite a bit of money in building a secure run. This run could never be built in the United States (too expensive to permit), but was more affordable in Latin America.
I think in terms of an overall flock, rather than developing too much of an attachment to any particular chicken. After building the secure run, my chickens have really got into the mood and have provided with lots of chicks!
This viewpoint is perhaps a little bit more “jaded” than yours, but it’s also a way to live in harmony with the local culture.
If you see a particular chicken as a beloved pet, I am afraid that you could be heartbroken if something were ever to happen to that particular chicken.
As a warning, whoever your neighbors will be in Ecuador probably will see chickens as replaceable. Good chickens like blue egg layers actually aren’t cheap, but everyone knows someone who has some.
A couple years ago, “La Gorda” moved, actually closer to me. That was an “oh no!” moment... Fortunately, she no longer had the chicken-destroying dog, which belonged to someone else.
One day, I saw a beautiful rooster of a game breed wandering around nearby. The rooster had a spectacular tail. I asked my neighbor to whom it belonged. I could not believe it, but the rooster belonged to “La Gorda.”
The person I saw as a chicken hater actually liked chickens, but is a bit irresponsible toward the vecis (neighbors). Needless to say, this is not a friend.
This is very typical down here. One makes friends with responsible and honest people....
