Official Poll 2011 - Are Chickens Easier or Harder To Raise Than...

[Balfour Girl]

I go down to the coop every morning with a bucket of fresh water and a pan of food. I open their little chicken door. I use a pooper scooper and garden trowel to pick up poop - both from the coop and their yard. I only have nine chickens so this is not as daunting as it sounds. I wash their roosts off once a week. At night I close their little door. In exchange I get hours of laughter (I even have a chicken cam so I can check up on them from the house!) and tons of story fodder (see Chicken-Thursday.blogspot.com for stories about my babies... including my sick chicken, Dawneen, who liked the special treatment of living in the house and eating grapes so much that she continued to fake her illness for days!).

 

[Newwell]

I had to say that my chick babies are more "work intensive" but that could be because my dogs have been with me for 5+ years so they & I have the "routine" down. I've had my chick babies for about 10 weeks now. Planning & building the coop & getting a LOT of knowledge on animals I knew nothing about. Coop maintenance & moving it (we built a tractor). But I have to say that my chickens are a real joy to me just as my dogs are. I just LOVE watching them & hanging out with them. They are a source of great enjoyment.

 

[JMidJr]

I'm too new for my response to mean much, but IMHO KansasKate is right; the key is your system.
For instance, dog care
Got easier after I fenced the backyard, and easier yet when I installed the doggie door. I'm still tweaking the chicken system, but already it's no big deal. Of course I owe it all to BYCers who have been (and continue to) my primary source of chicken wisdom.

 

[JMidJr]

I'm too new for my response to mean much, but IMHO KansasKate is right; the key is your system.
For instance, dog care
Got easier after I fenced the backyard, and easier yet when I installed the doggie door. I'm still tweaking the chicken system, but already it's no big deal. Of course I owe it all to BYCers who have been (and continue to) my primary source of chicken wisdom.

 

[klpenny]

Depends on the day. As Peeps in my basement they were ALOT of work. I clean the coop once a week, have to remind my son/remember to pick eggs daily, fill the feeder and water a couple times a week, let them out in the morning on time or ELSE! (that is according to my spoiled rooster) They are a joy to have around.

 

[kathyAtABetterWayFarm]

If you have an automatic chicken door opener, it takes 90% of the work out of keeping chickens. Mine are free range and I only have to fill their water and food once about every third day. If push comes to shove, that is ALL I HAVE to do. And while I type this, I have two dogs begging the heck out of me to get up from the computer and go outside with them... not that they can't go out by themselves, this is a farm and they are free to roam (and have a doggie door), but nooooooo.... I have to go out with them. lol.

 

[trooper]

e:yiipchick Some days they are more work than others.I am fortunate in that all aspects of my chickens have been right up my alley.I am remodeling an old play house.I have it sound and secure,so pretty much all I have left is cosmetics.I do carpentry,elec,gardening ,and pets as a hobby.I get to watch the chickens grow and do their thing which brings me enjoyment and relaxation.I am working on the coop (which I hope to one day figure out the computer and put pictures on BYC).This is enjoyable to me as it is one of my hobbies.I like to do gardening and the deep liter method helps me with that.I am in the process of putting flower beds around the outside of my coop.This is for flowers,bugs,veg,etc.This helps me and my chickens.Everything I do pertaining to my chickens is benificial.So yes it is work,But All of it is my hobbies and I enjoy doing them.When it turns into work that I hate to do then it is time to find something else to do.

Two more things.You can enjoy there eggs which I find delicious and for some people they can sell and the chickens help them with their care.No other pet can do that

 

[The Burg Peeps]

Beyond the work of chickens (that being relatively minor), I do believe they have far more reward than many other pets. If you take into consideration that chickens provide you with fresh, nutritious eggs each and every day, I think they are far superior to dogs, cats and rabbits, unless of course you eat your rabbits.

I love all pets and simply adore my Dog, but to me there is no comparison to a pet that provides me with healthy food and companionship.
Plus, chickens are just so darn hilarious to watch... what fun, quirky and fascinating birds they are! Gotta love those chickens!

 

[littlecreekfarm]

well i'd say more work but that's probably b/c i have only 3 dogs and 24 chickens LOL

 

[southerndesert]

Can't really answer this one because our chickens are not kept as pets..... No way to compare.