Keeping backyard chickens is increasingly popular, but welfare challenges including predation, disease, and end-of-lay care require careful consideration by prospective keepers.
Many backyard chicken keepers are unprepared for the veterinary costs, predator-proofing requirements, and end-of-life decisions that come with hen keeping. Hens live 5-10 years but lay productively for only 2-3 years, creating a long period of care for non-producing animals. Inadequate housing leads to predation, exposure, and disease. Many keepers surrender aging or ill hens to overwhelmed rescue organizations. Chickens have complex social hierarchies and suffer when separated from companions.