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A hen as a pet?

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  • 14-07-2010 10:30pm
    #1
    themoneyguy
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭


    Has anyone kept hens as pets in suburban Dublin? Are they difficult to look after?
    Thanks


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    #2
    EGAR
    Registered Users Posts: 2,874 ✭✭✭EGAR


    http://www.irishfowl.com/ have a look there, lots of info and a board as well.


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    #3
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    My hens were pets to a large extent. One hen: no. Hens are flock animals, and one hen will be cruelly lonely.


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    #4
    Barr
    Registered Users Posts: 7,010 ✭✭✭Barr


    themoneyguy wrote: »
    Has anyone kept hens as pets in suburban Dublin? Are they difficult to look after?
    Thanks

    Why would you want one as a pet ?


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    #5
    EGAR
    Registered Users Posts: 2,874 ✭✭✭EGAR


    Hens make great pets. One of my hybrid hens comes onto my lap when I sit outside and the little Seramas are so tame its unreal. I love my hens :).


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    #6
    Cherry Blossom
    Registered Users Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭Cherry Blossom


    My first pet was a chicken called Cheep! My nan kept hens when I was a kid, she got a load of chicks in at one stage and one was a different colour and I decided it was mine. I was always bringing it into the house and sitting it on my lap and trying to feed it loads of different stuff to see what it liked :D (I think I was about 3 yrs old) Even when it grew up I'd let it out and it followed me around the place, I think it thought I was it's mother or something. No idea how to look after them tho, my nan did that :p


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    #7
    Orla K
    Registered Users Posts: 2,462 ✭✭✭Orla K


    Barr wrote: »
    Why would you want one as a pet ?


    Because hens are great and even give you eggs (more than most other pet gives) and any way why would you you want to keep any pet with that attitude, people like different things, some people like dogs some like cats, some like something a little different. What's the bother asking why and let people do what they want.

    Keeping hens is getting popular. I'd love to be able to keep some. They make good pets when they're hand reared they'll come to you happily, non hand reared ones might be alittle more warey of you.

    They don't make too much noise too, only really when laying eggs.


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    #8
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    Orla K wrote: »
    They don't make too much noise too, only really when laying eggs.

    Not *altogether* true. If they think they see a hawk there's a lot of screeching; ditto with assumed land predators. If they find a treat they TELL EVERYONE!


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    #9
    Cat Melodeon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,617 ✭✭✭Cat Melodeon


    If you've got a little bit of room for a small pond, consider getting a couple of ducks. We've got hens and ducks, and find the ducks to make better pets. Their beaks aren't as pecky and they have more personality than hens (hen lovers may disagree, it's probably like a cat v dog thing). They're also fantastic at keeping slugs away (we grow veg and try to avoid all pesticides etc) and they don't scratch up the garden like hens do. They are messier though, but I think it's worth it.


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    #10
    morganafay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭morganafay


    I'd love hens as pets, even though I don't eat eggs, I'm sure I'd find someone to eat them, or my dogs would :) . . . one day . . .


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