From the beginning of time, human existence has been able to portray that animals are living creatures that human beings cannot do without.
There are numerous ways in which animals can be of help to humans.
Some of which are scientific study, medical advancements, farming, transportation, food, shelter, physical, and emotional support.
Animals have, therefore, become an integral part of the everyday lifestyle of many human beings.
You would even be surprised that the least expected animals that eventually end up in your stomachs have the ability to perform more functions than you thought.
Table of Contents
- Features of a Chicken
- Types of Chickens
- Can a Chicken Be a Service Animal?
- A Chicken as a Therapeutic and Emotional Animal
- A Chicken as a Pet
- Benefits of Owning Chickens
Features of a Chicken
A chicken is a domesticated fowl belonging to the Phasianidae family in the class of animals known as Aves.
It is usually raised as a type of poultry and is widely used for its meat and eggs.
A chicken has a sharp pointed beak, makes a clucking sound, and its habitat is mostly sheltered grassland and open woodlands.
It can come in different colors according to its species/breed. Colors like white, black, brown, tan, orange, red, and yellow.
Its skin is made up mostly of feathers (as it is a classification of a bird) and its life span is between 2-4 years.
A chicken preys on seeds, insects, fruits, and berries, while its worst predators are humans (such betrayal!), vultures, foxes, and raccoons.
Chickens are bounteous egg layers. A large percentage of eggs all over the world are laid from them.
A chicken is a short and mostly sturdy bird that can only fly short distances when it feels threatened.
Its origin is usually attributed to the red and grey jungle fowls, which are wild species from Southern Asia.
Because of the many features of chickens, they are distinguished from each other by many characteristics including size, color (of skin and eggs), the bulkiness of feathers, number of toes, place of origin, comb type, and breed.
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Types of Chickens
There are over a hundred different types of chickens and they’re classified into different breeds and species.
The most common breeds include:
- The Rare Breeds
- The Ornamental Breeds
- The Unusual Breeds
- The Crested Breeds
- Bantams
- White Layers
- BBQ Special
- Brown Layers
- Colored Layers
These breeds are usually further classified into 5 broad groups:
- English
- American
- Mediterranean
- Asiatic
- Continental
Can a Chicken Be a Service Animal?
A chicken cannot be a service animal. Service animals, in the broad sense, means animals that can provide some form of service. But according to the state laws provided for service animals, they’re animals that have been “trained to work and assist” disabled people.
This means that the services they provide are helpful to the betterment of an individual’s illness or mood.
Hence, if an animal is unable to provide functional services such as being able to guide a disabled person, open doors and cross barriers to help a disabled person, understand traffic signals or cross the road, such an animal should not be classified as a service animal.
It should rather be classified according to the particular function it can perform.
Therefore, a chicken doesn’t qualify as a service animal.
It can, however, be an emotional support animal, a comfort animal, a therapy support animal, or a pet.
Related: Can a Bearded Dragon Be a Service Animal?
A Chicken as a Therapeutic and Emotional Animal
Chickens have proven to be better than just laying eggs and ending up as delicious soup delicacies.
They have succeeded as animals that help to take away depression, sore moods, anxiety attacks, loneliness, and isolation.
They also help with some forms of rehabilitation.
There are told facts and stories regarding chickens that have helped liven the environment in care and therapeutic homes.
Many people had tales to tell about their experiences with the chickens when they related to them. Even the people that were in isolation were not left out when the chickens arrived.
According to some criminal rehab reports, prisoners have also found solace in taking care of chickens in the prison yards.
This enables them to develop new and positive attitudes like kindness and compassion. Some of them recount that the chickens bring out the best in them.
Some prison administrations have made it possible and easy for the prisoners by using the money sold from the eggs produced by the chickens to expand the poultries in the prison yards.
Overall, chickens have the ability to bring back good memories, liven your spirits, make you feel better, provide physical comfort, and even change lives.
Now that might sound a little weird but once an individual feels a sense of purpose and accomplishment, which had never been felt, then that means the person’s life is changing for the better.
These are some of the basic reasons why they can be classified as emotional and therapeutic animals. They make good companions for humans that wish to adopt them as pets.
Related: Can a Duck Be a Service Animal? (Answered)
A Chicken as a Pet
Chickens are naturally happy animals.
They like to perch about and like to be stroked (just like cats). Any animal that possesses such qualities will automatically make a good pet.
Chickens are also relatively low-maintenance pets. You don’t have to break the bank to take care of them exceptionally.
If you decide to get a chicken as a pet, you will have to set up basic things like a shelter (a pen), a space to roam, water to drink, and poultry feed.
Although, they can be quite messy and might give a few unpleasant smells once in a while.
But you need not worry about infections as long as you keep their environment clean.
Benefits of Owning Chickens
Owning and rearing chickens have quite a number of benefits to humankind and could even become a source of income for the owner.
Chickens provide an abundance of eggs as long as they are well taken care of and are healthy.
They are also a source of education for children and a good source of fertilizer for the soil.
Chickens sometimes help to reduce waste by feeding on them, hence, they are natural food recyclers.
Since they naturally like to feed on insects, they are a source of natural insect control in many surroundings.
Also, chickens don’t only provide great entertainment but also make a tasty pot of soup and quality food.
