Urban backyard chicken keeping has grown rapidly but welfare problems from inadequate care, predator attack, and abandonment are increasingly common.
Backyard chickens are often purchased impulsively without adequate preparation. Inadequate shelter design, predator-proof housing failures, and poor disease recognition result in preventable suffering and death. Rooster abandonment after purchase as sexed chicks still sometimes produce males results in animals unsuited for suburban environments being released or surrendered. Education before acquisition is the most effective welfare intervention.