I haven't read the whole thread but yes, they are worth it. If you want them as beloved pets and therefore are expecting no losses it can be harder or more expensive... But with a secure pen and a few simple precautions you should be fine.
I mean, dogs can get lice, mites, fleas, hookworm, roundworm, heartworm, rabies, parvo, distemper, kennel cough.... They can get hit by cars, shot by crazy neighbors, break their leashes and run off, get picked up by a rescue that adopts your dog out to someone else....
Do you fear for your dog daily? Of course not. Take smart precautions and you're safe enough. Something COULD still go wrong, but is it likely? Not enough to keep most people from keeping dogs.
Animals have parasites and get sick. Stuff happens sometimes. It's no harder to keep a few hardy chickens than a dog, IMO. Many chickens will live with no problems until old age in just a coop and secure pen with good food and basic care.
I would say there's a few big differences with regards to owning chickens instead of "normal" pets;
Breed selection matters more than "do I have space" or "Is this animal going to cuddle or not". Because they are kept outside you should pick a breed best for your environment. Easter eggers, ameraucanas, brahmas, orpingtons, australorps, buckeyes all good for cold. Leghorns, Fayoumis, naked necks, rhode islands, all good for hot. Most chickens can live in most places, though, but heavy, fluffy, small comb breeds for cold places and light, skinny, big-comb breeds for hot places just do better.
Very few vets know anything about chickens even if they're willing to see them. Be prepared to do much of the medical care yourself and put together a first aid kit. In case of a contagious disease, accident or injury, you may have your birds put down humanely yourself. You can generally forgo this step if you have a vet willing to see a chicken, but most aren't and more still don't know anything about chickens so double check their suggestions with good sources online.
(This may sound intimidating at first, but it's not so bad. Most chicken medications are given by normal people with no degrees to chickens because farms can't afford to have a vet look at every chicken. They dissolve in water or have easy measurements. You also have free resources, such as this website filled with experts, to back you up in case of problems.)
Some diseases will cause the state to come in and destroy them for you because our food industry could collapse if certain diseases break out, and backyard flocks can be a source for that. Owning chickens means being a part of a national food system. Consider becoming NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Plan) tested as a responsible chicken owner. Most states have programs to make this testing cheap or free.
Everything eats chickens. Rats, hawks, coons, possums, dogs, cats, foxes... You name it and they exist. A secure pen, especially for pet chickens, is a MUST.
And lastly...
Chickens are a little more "wild" than a dog or cat and don't turn to humans for help solving problems. Because of this, illness/injury are less obvious. Taking some time every day (say, with your morning coffee or something) to just observe the flock for a while will give you a good feel for what normal looks like for your chickens. It's easy to develop an intuition for this. If you notice something is abnormal, just check it out, because if there's a problem and they're showing signs of it, it could require immediate intervention because chickens try not to show illness/pain more than other animals.
Whew! Wall of text. Sorry. XD
I mean, dogs can get lice, mites, fleas, hookworm, roundworm, heartworm, rabies, parvo, distemper, kennel cough.... They can get hit by cars, shot by crazy neighbors, break their leashes and run off, get picked up by a rescue that adopts your dog out to someone else....
Do you fear for your dog daily? Of course not. Take smart precautions and you're safe enough. Something COULD still go wrong, but is it likely? Not enough to keep most people from keeping dogs.
Animals have parasites and get sick. Stuff happens sometimes. It's no harder to keep a few hardy chickens than a dog, IMO. Many chickens will live with no problems until old age in just a coop and secure pen with good food and basic care.
I would say there's a few big differences with regards to owning chickens instead of "normal" pets;
Breed selection matters more than "do I have space" or "Is this animal going to cuddle or not". Because they are kept outside you should pick a breed best for your environment. Easter eggers, ameraucanas, brahmas, orpingtons, australorps, buckeyes all good for cold. Leghorns, Fayoumis, naked necks, rhode islands, all good for hot. Most chickens can live in most places, though, but heavy, fluffy, small comb breeds for cold places and light, skinny, big-comb breeds for hot places just do better.
Very few vets know anything about chickens even if they're willing to see them. Be prepared to do much of the medical care yourself and put together a first aid kit. In case of a contagious disease, accident or injury, you may have your birds put down humanely yourself. You can generally forgo this step if you have a vet willing to see a chicken, but most aren't and more still don't know anything about chickens so double check their suggestions with good sources online.
(This may sound intimidating at first, but it's not so bad. Most chicken medications are given by normal people with no degrees to chickens because farms can't afford to have a vet look at every chicken. They dissolve in water or have easy measurements. You also have free resources, such as this website filled with experts, to back you up in case of problems.)
Some diseases will cause the state to come in and destroy them for you because our food industry could collapse if certain diseases break out, and backyard flocks can be a source for that. Owning chickens means being a part of a national food system. Consider becoming NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Plan) tested as a responsible chicken owner. Most states have programs to make this testing cheap or free.
Everything eats chickens. Rats, hawks, coons, possums, dogs, cats, foxes... You name it and they exist. A secure pen, especially for pet chickens, is a MUST.
And lastly...
Chickens are a little more "wild" than a dog or cat and don't turn to humans for help solving problems. Because of this, illness/injury are less obvious. Taking some time every day (say, with your morning coffee or something) to just observe the flock for a while will give you a good feel for what normal looks like for your chickens. It's easy to develop an intuition for this. If you notice something is abnormal, just check it out, because if there's a problem and they're showing signs of it, it could require immediate intervention because chickens try not to show illness/pain more than other animals.
Whew! Wall of text. Sorry. XD
Might be fine for a more southern north place.
There is a rose combed variant but they still get wattle frostbite and they're exhibition bred not production bred.
I would go nuts without my birds. I have only had chickens since 2014 or 13, but I have had parakeets my whole life. They're rather like crabby mini chooks.
