Backyard chicken keeping has grown dramatically, but welfare challenges including predator protection, health care access, and winter management affect the wellbeing of these increasingly popular animals.
Backyard chickens face welfare challenges that their owners are often unprepared for: predator attacks that cause traumatic injury and death, disease without access to experienced veterinary care, social deprivation when kept singly, and the dilemma of what to do with hens when they stop laying at 3-5 years despite 8-10 year lifespans. Winter management, proper nutrition, and parasite control require ongoing attention. Many backyard chickens suffer from welfare problems that would be prevented with better preparation.