Backyard chicken keeping has grown substantially in urban and suburban areas, bringing animal welfare responsibilities that many new keepers are unprepared for.
The backyard chicken movement has brought genuine animal welfare improvements for some birds — providing outdoor access, space, and enrichment vastly superior to commercial systems. However, it has also brought new welfare challenges driven by inexperienced keeper decisions. Many backyard flocks suffer from inadequate predator protection (foxes, raccoons, and raptors kill millions of pet chickens annually), failure to access veterinary care for a species that vets are often unfamiliar with, and isolation of individual birds during illness. Egg-laying breeds selected for maximum production often develop reproductive disorders including egg peritonitis by age 3-4 because their reproductive systems were never adapted for sustainable long-term laying. Welfare-focused backyard keeping involves sourcing from ethical breeders or rescues, planning for veterinary care, and managing flock social dynamics.