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

[Artichoke Lover]

Chickens are easier than dogs. Less training. Dealing with feed and water is easier. They don’t leave feathers on the couch(because mine stay outside). The piles of poop are much smaller!
They are harder than cats though. I don’t have to worry about getting a pet sitter for my cats if I go out of town for a few days. I just give them an extra litter box plus extra food and water and they are good for three days to a week. With the chickens I would have to have someone come by twice a day to let them out and lock them up.

 

[fatty and friends]

ducks are definitely way harder than dogs/cats

mine are imprinted to me and always want to be with me, even if that means coming on adventures and walks

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have had one cat for 20 years, I have had one dog the last 10 years. I cannot tell you how many chickens I have had during that time. Of course chickens don't live in the house.

 

[BlackbeardTheGuinea]

It can very from easer to Same as keeping dogs. but we still love them just as much!!!

 

[tripletfeb]

For me, it is way easier to have chickens than a dog. While I love my dog, he is an annoying pain in the butt sometimes. He is a weimaraner and won't leave us alone. We sit on the couch, he is in our face. We eat dinner, he is in our face. He waits outside the bathroom door when one of us is in there. They call weims a velcro breed for good reason. My chickens, on the other hand, I can leave them all in their coop and run and they have food and water for days. I only have three chickens and haven't even gotten their eggs in two days. I use the deep bedding method in their coop and only clean them out twice a year. Easy peasy

 

[629864]

I voted "same as keeping dogs", but only because we need dogs to protect the chickens. The actual care for the chickens is IME easier than for indoor dogs (all the in/out/in/out for dogs' potty time), but without the outdoor dogs, predator patrol would be a much bigger job.

Regarding cats, since our cats are ... well ... cats and barely acknowledge our existence for 23 hours of the day, I voted "harder than keeping cats."

 

[629864]

ducks are definitely way harder than dogs/cats

mine are imprinted to me and always want to be with me, even if that means coming on adventures and walks

That is adorable

 

[MTKitty]

Easier than dogs who need pack interactions to be happy and secure. Harder than (house) cats who are easy access when taking care of their needs.

At least, this has been my experience.

 

[630004]

much less work if you make the right investments.
for example 40 pound feeder only needs to get looked at once a week. Same thin with bulk water containers.

coop has automatic door so they just take care of themselves.

 

[Silkie Princess]

It's harder than keeping cats but easier than keeping dogs... But it might just be me because I have 45 chickens