Chicken is best known for eggs but is interesting to learn that they are more than just egg factories. There are many chicken breed for pets that you can choose for your backyard farm. watching chicken scratch around your yard can be fulfilling and de-stressing for many.
Chicken can be tamed and trained to perform certain tricks that are entertaining not forgetting sporting activities like cockfights.
Chicken can incorporate easily into any family setup. There is no need to train them, they are not aggressive to the neighbors like dogs can be, and they can be left alone over the weekend without worries when you are on a trip. Plus, they can give you all the eggs you can eat if you decide to choose the best egg laying chicken.
Chicken breed for pets
There are hundreds of chicken breeds for pets just like any other pet bird. So, you have to make a choice which type best describes what you love in your backyard farm. You can choose between ornamental chicken and production chicken. If you target ornamental over egg production, there is a breed to choose and vice versa.
Now let’s look at some of the chicken breed for pets in your backyard.
Silkies
They are a bantam mini chicken with fluffy fur-like feathers which makes it more of a cat than a chicken. Silkies have feathered feet which makes them look like a buff ball. They are friendly and calm always.
Silkies have perfect mothering abilities with a tendency to go broody all the time which cuts down their egglaying capacity. If you give them any egg, the can sit on them till they hatch and mother them like their own.
They can produce 3-4 small eggs per week. Silkies come in a large variety of colors which makes them perfect for family pets.
Polish
They are the most unusual breed interesting to look at. Polish have huge poofs of feathers and beards on their heads. They have a friendly and calm trait.
Polish are docile in nature a property that makes them the best chicken breed for pets. Their poofs of feathers can get in their way of vision, which necessitates to trim them on the field of vision.
They are not great layers but 2-3 small to medium eggs per week are what they can offer.
Cochins
Cochins are the most adorable breed, round and fluffy. They are sweet with a friendly and calm personality. Cochins love sitting on our laps and they run towards people as soon as you take a sit to rest in the yard.
They have a tendency to go broody and can make good mothers. Cochins lay between 3-5 brown eggs per week.
Buff Orpingtons
They are large, docile, friendly, quiet and loyal. Buffs are hardy breed making them suitable for colder regions. They have golden fluff with lots of soft under feathers. Buff is the most popular color choice, other colors include black, white, and blue.
They can lay 5-6 large brown eggs per week. They have a tendency for broody and can be a good mother.
Summing up
There are many chicken breeds for pets available, these are just but a few mentioned. Look at the following gallery for more varieties of chicken for pets.
Hope you enjoy watching all the beautiful chicken breed for pets. If you are interested to build a chicken coop for them, check out my DIY chicken coop guide.
