The backyard chicken-keeping movement has grown substantially in urban areas. While small-scale keeping can provide excellent welfare, common mistakes mean many backyard chickens suffer preventable health and welfare problems.
Backyard chicken keeping has welfare benefits over commercial production when done well, offering space, natural behaviour, and individual attention. However, inadequate preparation by well-intentioned keepers creates significant welfare problems. Poorly designed coops lack ventilation, causing respiratory disease. Insufficient space causes aggression and feather-pecking. Lack of predator proofing leads to fatal attacks. Seasonal eggs mean production drops in winter, leading some keepers to abandon or neglect hens. End-of-life planning is absent in many cases. Veterinary care for chickens is sometimes seen as disproportionate to their value, leading to untreated illness. The welfare of backyard chickens depends heavily on keeper knowledge and commitment.