The upcoming holiday season will inevitably bring the annual consideration of bringing bunnies and baby chicks into the home as an Easter surprise for the kids. Traditionally, the Connecticut Humane Society (Newington, Connecticut) has provided information about rabbit care during this time of year. Now, it’s time to talk about the other favorite Easter pet…baby chicks.
First and foremost, CHS would like to reiterate the fact that pets should not be given as gifts. They are a choice that should be made by the entire family after conducting a thorough amount of research about how to care for the needs of the prospective pet and how the new addition will impact the family routine.
For many people, chickens may seem like an odd choice but if they are hand raised from a baby, they can grow to be engaging, friendly, and entertaining family pets. Chickens can also be trained as adults to become very nice companions. Additionally, families can benefit from the potential for fresh eggs (depending on the age of the chicken) and pest control and organic fertilizer for your garden. In either case, positive reinforcement training methodology and food rewards will be the most effective way to develop a relationship with your new pet.
Anytime a new pet is considered for the home there must be due diligence in making a responsible selection regardless of the type of companion we are considering. Bringing a farm animal home also requires research into some additional issues. Please think about the following as you consider bringing a chicken (or chickens) into your life:
- Chickens live an average of 15 years…just like many dogs and cats.
- Chicken’s have unique physical and behavioral needs so make sure you know what they are and be prepared to provide top quality care.
Read more on the Connecticut Humane Society web site.
