Chicken breeds vary as much in temperament and behavior as do dog breeds. Some are quiet and calm; others are noisy and nervous. Some enjoy human company; others avoid people and some individuals are even aggressive to people.
When choosing chickens, it is important to consider their impact on both neighbors and your family. Loud, noisy, flighty birds that annoy the neighbors or enter their yard and destroy it do little for good relationships. Birds that are aggressive may be dangerous to children. Nervous breeds may not lay well in a backyard setting if they are disturbed by running children, barking dogs, or prowling cats. Some chickens have the nasty habit of cannibalism - they will pull out feathers, eat the toes off of other birds, and even kill them. In selecting backyard birds, these are all traits to consider avoiding.
Choosing chickens also depends on your reasons for having them. Are they strictly pets? Do you want eggs? Maybe you wish to raise meat birds? Most backyard chickens are obtained as a combination pet/laying hen. There are many breeds suitable for this purpose.
How many chickens should you keep? Chickens are social birds and prefer to be part of a flock - there are few things sadder than the lonely cries of a solitary, lonely chicken. Not only are the cries of a lonely biddy heartrending - they can truly annoy neighbors who may not be sympathetic to the sorrows of a lonely biddy.
The ideal minimum number of chickens is three; in case one is lost, the remaining pair will be able to keep company. This is another case where more is not always better - never keep more chickens than the local codes allow, and never keep more chickens than you have time to care for.
This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.
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