Keeping pets in the house is nothing new or uncommon. Generally, dogs, cats, fish, and various kinds of birds are the preferred pets. But nowadays, many people want to try keeping chickens as pets. With chickens in the house, you will have eggs as a bonus, too. It is quite interesting to see that people are keeping chicken coops on the roofs, balconies, or even patios of their homes or apartments. If there is a small backyard or a garden, there is nothing better than that.
But in cities, having a spacious balcony in your apartment is a rare thing. If you live in a 3 bedroom apartment or a condo, you may have enough space on your balcony. Otherwise, you may be looking at an area 2 feet by 2 feet where you can practically do nothing except stand and enjoy your coffee! Keeping chickens on a balcony like this is in no way a feasible thing, since every pet needs some space to move around.
Chickens love to stay in flocks
Chickens are highly social birds. They love to stay in groups, so it is better if you keep more than one. Experts recommend that it is best to keep three chickens in your flock. This is because even if one chicken dies or something happens, the other two will have the company of one another. No one will be lonely.
Therefore, if you are intending in keeping chickens on a balcony, you have to make space for a minimum of 3-4 chickens, which may not be possible in the majority of apartments. Along with providing ample space for the chickens to stay, you have to ensure that they have abundant space for moving and loitering around too. A small balcony will not be able to meet these requirements.
Heat, high humidity, and rainfall
Balconies are generally open, making them airy and full of light. But if you are planning to keep chickens as pets on the balcony, you have to make arrangements to keep the balcony covered. If abundant sunlight comes through your balcony, it is not very good for the chickens. These birds are not fond of heat or warm weather. Many cases of chicken deaths are reported because of high heat.
They don’t like humidity either. This is the reason you have to keep hen houses airy, dry, and cool. Keeping chickens on the balcony might also expose them to snow and rainfall at times. They might get wet in the snow or rain and become uncomfortable.
Keeping the balcony and the chicken coop clean
Keeping any kind of pet means you will have to clean up their space frequently. You will not want your neighbors to complain about the smell. When you keep chickens in a coop on the balcony, you have to make sure to clean the coop at least twice a week. If it remains dirty, there is the risk of bacterial contamination, something you can’t ignore.
In an open space, this cleaning can be done once weekly. Moreover, if the coop gets wet in the rain and snow, you must clean it immediately before it smells awful!
Summing up keeping chickens on a balcony
Many people are in favor of the idea of keeping chickens as pets on their balconies. They compare it to how chickens are kept in commercial places in extremely small coops. But when chickens are kept as pets in homes, you have to ensure that they remain comfortable and in a hygienic condition. If you have a large balcony, a garden, or a backyard, you can think of keeping chickens — otherwise don’t.
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