This is Jennifer’s chicken story. She lives in Kenya and works as a nutritionist. Her chicken journey starts with a lost chicken…
I have always loved animals, but chickens as pets? That idea never crossed my mind. Most of my friends kept chickens for professional farming, recommending it for commercial reasons. For me, a pet should bring joy and companionship, not just serve a practical purpose.
Then came Cherry, the chicken that changed everything.
Surviving the First Night
It all started one evening on my walk home. I spotted a chicken wandering alone in the dark, looking lost and vulnerable. It probably got separated from its flock. Imagining its fate if a dog came across it, I impulsively scooped it up and brought it home.
Here’s the catch: I didn’t have a chicken coop. Keeping the chicken outside was not an option, because I wanted to keep it safe from dangerous predators. So, I had no other choice. I reluctantly let it stay in my kitchen for the first night, thinking it could do the least damage there. Big mistake!
The next morning, I opened the kitchen door to chaos. The chicken had climbed on one of the shelves. Flour cans dropped, feathers were everywhere, and chicken poop covered my counter and kitchen appliances. For a brief moment, I considered tossing the clucking vandal over the fence out of pure frustration. But then, I looked at it for a few minutes and sighed. How did I expect a chicken to behave?
As the chicken happily pecked at spilled flour, completely unaware of my emotions, I couldn’t help but laugh. My kitchen was a total mess, but the chicken was oddly endearing and I couldn’t stay mad.
Becoming a Proud Chicken Owner
After cleaning up the disaster zone in my kitchen, I decided to go around the neighborhood asking if anyone had lost a chicken. However, to my surprise, no one was missing one.
When I returned home, the first thing that met me at the entrance was the chicken. It made that clucking sound as if it was expecting something from me. Suddenly, I realized I loved the companionship as much as it did.
I named her Cherry and called a carpenter friend to build a simple coop. That decision was the start of my backyard chicken journey.
Chickens Are the Best Pets, and Surprising Companions
Cherry quickly became more than just a chicken. She greeted me with a welcoming cluck every day when I got home, a routine that always made me smile. Her quirky personality made me smile, and soon, she wasn’t just “a chicken”; she was my chicken.
But as much as I loved Cherry, I worried about her loneliness. That’s when my friends stepped in. One gifted me a rooster I named Raymond, and another gave me another hen. Now Cherry had company, and eventually, chicks!
Keeping chickens doesn’t only supply you with fresh eggs every morning, but also brings joy. Chickens are surprisingly intelligent and have their own personalities. I love to sit on my garden chair and watch them for an hour or so, sipping my coffee. Watching them explore the backyard, and interact with each other, is endlessly entertaining.
They’re also great at alerting you to potential dangers and cleaning up bugs. Plus, their behavior is a constant source of laughter. Who knew watching a chicken chase a butterfly could be so entertaining?
Lessons from Cherry
Cherry has passed away, but her chicks still run around my backyard. I still love keeping chickens and my journey is far from finished. My chickens provide me with fresh eggs and companionship. Also, they taught me important life lessons like patience, ‘being in the moment’, and to simply enjoy life.
If you are considering keeping chickens, my advice is DO IT! You might just discover, like I did, that chickens are the best pets you never knew you needed.
Click here to read the chicken story of Clucka Svensson from Sweden.
