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

[Nifty-Chicken]

We did a similar poll 2 years ago, but we thought it would be fun to do it again, but a little differently:

Some say that chickens are more work to raise than other pets, while others say they aren't. What do you think?

Try your best to keep this an "apples to apples" comparison. For example, don't compare keeping 10 chickens to keeping 10 dogs.

This isn't about the "costs" of raising the animals, but about the amount of time and energy put into maintaining / caring for the pet. Consider:

• Getting everything setup for the animal(s)
• Daily, weekly, monthly, annual care
• General care (feeding, housing, exercise, protection, etc.)

NOTE: YOU CAN (should) CHOOSE MORE THAN ONE SELECTION!

 

[bustermommy]

Building for the coop for the chickens was way more work than buying a crate for the dogs. They are about as much work as the fish and turtles. (Initial setup only on both.) The dogs and cats are way more work on a daily basis and take much more time.

But, my dogs and cats keep me warm in bed at night; the chickens have to stay outside.

I also don't really regard them as my pets as much as my dogs and cats are.

 

[Beth G.]

. Wow very interesting poll I'll be watching for results

 

[RaZ]

There is no way I can answer this. It varies day to day.
Like when the dogs get in the run, they are more trouble.
When the chickens fly after the dogs chase them out of the run then they are more trouble.
Cleaning the cat box every day is more work than cleaning the coop once a week. Same with dog poo clean up.
Don't have to bathe the chickens but giving a bath to 3 dogs???
The chickens ate all my plants that the dogs had always left alone.

All in all, having pets is a PITA. But it sure beats having kids!

 

[herpsss]

I wish the chickens wouldnt poop all the time or they' d be inside too! The only thing that makes them a little for stressful is the stooooopid hawks during the day! But i definitely love them like my dogs and cats!

 

[WestfarthingHomestead]

Gosh, I don't know. I don't think of it as work. I enjoy taking care of my critters so much.

No vote from me.

 

[KansasKate]

To me, the setup for chickens is/was much more work-intensive (and expensive). But a good plan and a good setup saves a lot of work and money later. Having had a dog, and dealing with 2 walks/day + nighttime pee, I can say with assurance that it's much less work to care for chickens than a dog. Cat, maybe even, since I can set my chickens up with food and water for a couple days at a time, and in mild weather they are pretty self-sustaining. Coop cleaning is more work than litterbox, but less frequent. Never had the other animals but I would guess it would be almost a draw. More predation issues with chickens, but better farm payoff (i.e, eggs). Final analysis? Totally worth the time. If you'd asked me that the first two or three weeks of chickens, I would have given you a different answer, but now that I've tweaked my "system" they are really no more work at all than any pet.

 

[Aemelia]

I have 3 chickens, 2 cats and 1 small cat sized dog. I clean the chicken house daily, sand bedding with a cat litter cleaner and it takes less than 5 minutes, super easy. I think I spend more time cleaning out our 3 litter boxes once a week than I spend taking care of the chickens. The dog is way more work getting 3-4 walks a day.

 

[Tricorn]

We have 50 chickens, 1 dog, 3 barn cats, and one house cat. All we do for the chooks is freshed the deep litter, feed and let out in the AM, and lock up at night. The dog is an outdoor pup, fed one meal a day and the property is big enough that there's no need to pick up. She's also one of those awesome dogs who practically came trained. The barn cats are fed in the morning too, they're a bit of trouble to keep away from the little chicks, but it's a temporary and hopefull one time thing. The indoor cat gets 2 meals, skin care and twice daily litterbox cleanings otherwise she makes a mess where ever she pleases.

So, because the coop had to be built ans is far away from the barn (I have to walk??) I say they're more work then dog/barn cat. Really it's not much work at all though, just the dog/cats are less. Waayy less work then the prissy indoor cat though.

 

[bleith]

I know that they have been a lot more fun than the other animals I have