Backyard chicken keeping has grown significantly but welfare problems from inadequate housing, predator exposure, and insufficient veterinary care are common.
Backyard chicken welfare is affected by several systematic gaps. New keepers often underestimate the veterinary costs and complexity of keeping chickens healthy. Predator protection that works at night (when foxes and raccoons are most active) requires secure, fully enclosed housing that many beginner setups fail to provide. Respiratory disease management requires knowledge that most new keepers lack. Welfare-positive backyard chicken keeping requires appropriate housing, minimum group sizes, space for behavioral expression, and willingness to seek and pay for veterinary care. The surge in pandemic-era backyard chicken keeping created a wave of welfare problems from underprepared owners.