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For many people, pets are considered companions, friends and, in some cases, heroes. More than 86.9 million households in the United States own pets.
Dogs are the most popular, with a total of 65.1 million households owning a dog. Cats come in second with a total of 46.5 million households enjoying the company of a feline companion. Or two. Or three. Fish are next and can be found in 46.5 million households.
However, there are so many more unique pets that can not only spice up your life a bit but they can also provide several uses beyond being just a fluffy companion.
One of these interesting pets is a chicken. Although around 8 million chickens are consumed in the United States per year, there are about 379 million chickens used solely for eggs. Laying chickens (those that produce eggs) are considered to be pets since they are cared for and not consumed. And, there are some people who take their love for chickens to another level.
For example, according to the Vicksburg Post, a newspaper in Mississippi, Cappy Martin, dubbed “Crazy chicken lady,” says she has wanted to raise chickens since she was a little girl and is doing so in retirement. At any given time, she had about 100 chickens in her home.
Martin claimed that her hobby was raising chickens and, after some time, she shared this hobby with more people and taught them how to properly raise and care for chickens. On a less extreme level, an anonymous student at our very own Boonton High School revealed that she has about 10 chickens, seven of which are baby chicks. A picture of the baby chicks is shown below.
Although these chicks are still young, in a few months they will grow to be hens and will lay eggs that can then be consumed on a daily basis. According to the anonymous student, the chicks are kept at home until they are old enough and strong enough to be able to live outside, where they will then exist in a large enclosure.
Thankfully, chickens have a little to no chance of making their owners sick. They are very safe pets to have but they require some maintenance. In the town of Boonton, chickens are allowed as long as they are hens and not roosters. According to town regulations, if a rooster starts crowing, the rooster cannot live here.
In the end, although chickens require some maintenance, they are pets that can give eggs for free so that you won’t have to buy them again. Laying chickens have more advantages than disadvantages since they help you save money and they are cute, fluffy companions that will chirp, sing and can be domesticated and trained with proper care.
Maybe in the future, you might know someone who will become a “crazy chicken lady,” one who will educate you and others about chickens.
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