Move over, dogs; there's a new man's best friend in town, and this one lays eggs. Meet the humble chicken!
These birds are surprisingly overlooked as both pets and food-producers, which is shocking to me, seeing as they're more useful than dogs and often funnier, too. I mean, really. Have you ever seen a chicken run? It's impossible to take them seriously -- they look like the bastard children of velociraptors.
All breeds behave differently, so you can choose one that best fits your needs. Looking for a cuddly companion? Try the Silkie.
This is the breed of the University of Minnesota's Pet Away Worries and Stress (PAWS) program's very own Tilly the therapy chicken. They tend to be motherly and attention-craving, with a plumage that just begs to be stroked. Silkies may not be good egg-layers or do well in the mud or rain, but they love to snuggle and thus excel as a companion animal.
Looking for more of an egg-layer? Leghorns are for you. They are an independent, hardy breed that doesn't need as much attention from their caretakers.
Because all hens lay eggs, you're likely to receive eggs from your hen regardless of the breed! What kind of pet actually can feed you instead of you feeding it all the time? My mixed-breed girl, Hei Hei, produces around one egg every other day, and since they are fresh, they don't even need refrigeration. Just stick them on your counter like you would fruit.
When you eat a chicken egg, you are not killing the chick inside. If you have no roosters around, the eggs your hens lay are unfertilized, meaning there is absolutely no chance of it developing into a chick. Unfertilized eggs will rot if just left around, so why not just eat them?
Additionally, chickens are cheap! Tractor Supply sells 10 Rhode Island Reds, a good starter breed, for $34.99 in total, according to their website. But you don't have to buy 10 birds for your flock to be happy; at least two will do, but never keep a chicken alone, as they can get depressed.
Chickens also are surprisingly individualistic, with each bird having its own attitudes, likes and dislikes. Hei Hei is calm, talkative and likes to be hugged. My other chicken, Shia LaBeuf (yes, you read that correctly) is spunky and will peck at me if I'm not paying attention to her, something Hei Hei would never do. Hei Hei's favorite food is rice, whereas Shia loves salami and when offered it will run off towards the horizon with an entire slice dangling from her beak, just so that Hei Hei doesn't take it. Never mind that she will struggle to eat an entire slice and will probably end up slapping it against the ground in vain to try and break it up.
Even the babies have their own quirks. We just got two new chicks in -- Cthulhu and Shrimp LoMein. Cthulhu, within twenty seconds of being let out of her cage, pooped on the carpet, tried to fly and crash-landed into a pillow, and then almost roasted herself on her heat lamp. Shrimp just wanted to be held.
Did I mention chickens eat almost anything? Of course, you need to feed your flock commercial feed for a balanced diet and optimal egg production, but mine will happily chow down on anything from lettuce to ham for snacks. Got some dinner scraps that you feel guilty throwing away? Feed them to the chickens to magically turn junk into eggs.
Of course, as with any pet, you need to do your research and be sure to look at your city ordinances to see if you can even have these birds. But if you're looking for a friend that's both quirky and useful, a chicken is definitely something you should consider.
