Official BYC POLL: Chicken Keeping - Easier, same or harder than dogs/cats?

[Cebarmlds]

I didn't cast a vote because it's just different. Not much comparison. Some people have indoor cats and dogs some strictly outdoors. Very different IMO.

 

[Kiki]

100% sure keeping chickens is easier than keeping dogs.
1000% sure actually.

I am not a crazy cat lady so I can't compare there.

 

[Swiftbow]

Definitely easier than dogs. A little harder than our cat because we need to open their door in the morning and shut it at night. Our cat needs doors opened, too, but she doesn't mind waiting, lol (Well, she probably does... but her complaints aren't in English . Also, we can leave the cat a day or two by herself, but someone still needs to open and close our chicken door.

I suppose this could be managed with an automatic door, but I haven't tried to build such a thing yet.

 

[igorsMistress]

I find it easier in many ways than a cat or dog. Chickens don't steal half my bed, bark, or have accidents on the carpet. There's no shots, no fur to clean off my work clothes or the couch. They stay outside, and give me food for my belly and poop for my compost pile.

On the flip side, they don't snuggle with me and stay by my side when I'm sick, or get up with me in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. They don't miss me like my dogs, don't knock me down for kisses, or look at me like the sun and moon rise and set because I say so.

 

[Dmontgomery]

Looks like I’m in the minority here. I choose harder than keeping dogs. We have 5 full time dogs and 2 p-time dogs (our son’s 2 visit daily from next door). We have about 60 chickens/guineas that free range all day. We live in the DEEP woods so we are constantly concerned about predators. We have hawks, snakes, coyotes, etc. trying to get at the flock on a regular basis. The dogs do a good job of protecting the birds but with 60, they can’t be everywhere all the time. Of course if I kept the birds locked up all the time, they would be much easier to care for.

 

[driver]

I voted about the same as dogs, but that was based only on the daily amount of time I have to dedicate to the basic requirements of each, not on some of the other things people have brought up here.

 

[tuesdaylove]

In my case, the chickens are harder to care for than the cat, but easier than the dogs.

The chickens live in runs 24/7 since they can't free-range where I live, so there's no letting them out and putting them away every day. I can fill up their food and water and they'll be good to go for a few days if needed. Takes me about 15 minutes every day to check on everyone, collect eggs, make sure they've got food and water, and that's it.

I do have an unusually easy to care for cat so I don't know, maybe other cats are harder to care for than chickens. My boy is 12 years old so he sleeps most of the time and doesn't want anything from me except food.

My dogs are more work than the chickens but I think that's probably common, especially if you've got a smaller flock. One of my dogs is very young and high-strung, and the other is on a weight loss plan, so they need daily walks and playtime in the house. Plus the dogs need regular vet visits, vaccines, etc. that chickens may not need often.

 

[lilmillefleur]

Our chickens are so easy care that we can just leave them in their big coop over the school week with full feed and water. I don't have cats or dogs so I can't really compare.

 

[caboodleschicks]

I have 2 dogs and 2 cats. I voted for chickens being easier to take care of than cats and dogs. Cats, because you have to scoop the litter box, if they are inside and all that. Dogs, I am not "big" on dogs, but I'm also not "against" dogs. (I think against is the word. Lol) Not that chickens are, in a since, "easier", but they are way more fun than taking care of dogs or cats.

 

[Molpet]

yeah apples and oranges ..
I was always told the only animal messier than a big dog is a big bird.
for me:
cat in the house is easy.
dog in the house is harder..
chicken in the house is a big mess.

cat outside in a pen is easy
dog outside in a run is easy
chickens in run is easy

cat, dog or chicken free ranging, the hard part is predators and cars