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10% off your first order Are Chickens Good Pets for Families? Everything Parents Need to Know
Yes, chickens are great pets for families. They’re low-maintenance, social, and endlessly entertaining, and they come with the bonus of fresh eggs every morning. Compared to dogs or cats, the daily care commitment is more manageable, and children of almost any age can get meaningfully involved.
More and more families are discovering this for themselves. Whether you have a large or a compact backyard, a small flock of hens fits into family life more easily than most people expect. But before you bring home your first chickens, it’s worth understanding what’s involved, from choosing the right breeds and setting up a safe coop, to knowing what your kids can realistically help with and how to keep everything hygienic.
This blog post covers everything parents need to know before getting started.
Why Chickens Are Great Pets for Families
Chickens tend to surprise new owners. People expect them to be purely functional backyard animals, and then find themselves charmed by a hen that trots over when she hears your voice, or a flock that settles into a reliable daily rhythm your whole family can participate in.
Here’s what makes them such a good fit for family life:
- No walks, no grooming. Unlike dogs, chickens don’t need to be walked or brushed. Their daily care takes around 10 to 15 minutes in the morning and evening, which is manageable even on busy school days.
- They’re social and recognise familiar faces. Chickens form bonds with the people who care for them. Many hens will come when called and enjoy being gently handled, especially when raised with regular human contact from a young age.
- Fresh eggs keep kids engaged. The daily egg collection is one of the most reliable ways to keep children invested in the flock. It’s a tangible, exciting reward that never really gets old.
- They fit in most backyards. A small flock of three or four hens doesn’t require a large amount of space. As long as the coop and run are appropriately sized, chickens can thrive in suburban and even urban backyards.
- Simple chores that kids can genuinely help with. Filling feeders, refreshing water, collecting eggs, and checking on the flock are all tasks children can take ownership of, which brings us to the benefits for them specifically.
The Benefits of Keeping Chickens for Children
Chickens offer something that most family pets don’t: a built-in daily routine with real consequences. If the hens aren’t fed and watered, they go without. That reality, handled gently and with parental guidance, teaches children a level of responsibility that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.
The benefits go well beyond responsibility, though:
- Daily responsibility. Feeding, watering, and checking on the flock every day, rain or shine, builds consistency and follow-through in children in a way that feels natural and rewarding, rather than forced.
- Understanding where food comes from. Collecting eggs from a hen your child has named and cared for is one of the most direct, hands-on connections to food production available to a family outside of farming.
- Routine and consistency. Chickens need the same care every day. That predictability is genuinely good for children, providing structure that carries over into other areas of life.
- Empathy and patience. Learning to read an animal’s behaviour, to approach calmly, to notice when something seems off, develops emotional intelligence that benefits children long after they’ve grown up.
- More time outdoors, less time on screens. A flock in the backyard gives children a reason to go outside every day, not just when the sun is shining.
How Many Chickens Should a Family Get?
For a family new to chicken keeping, three to four hens is the ideal starting point. That’s enough to produce a good supply of eggs without the care feeling overwhelming, and without needing a vast amount of outdoor space.
Chickens are flock animals and get lonely on their own, so keeping at least two is always advised. Beyond that, the right number comes down to your family’s capacity and your available space.
A few things to consider:
- More hens means more eggs, but also more feed, more cleaning, and more daily tasks. Consider what your family can realistically manage.
- Think about space before you commit to a number. Each hen needs adequate room in both the coop and the run to prevent stress.
- Start with a manageable flock, but plan ahead. Most chicken keepers find their flock grows over time, a phenomenon known as chicken math, so it’s worth choosing a coop you can grow into rather than one you’ll quickly outgrow.
For families just starting out, the Eglu Go and Eglu Go Up are brilliant starter coops for up to four hens. If you’d like to build a larger flock over time, the Eglu Cube (for 6 large hens) and Eglu Pro (for 10 large hens) give you the space to start with a few, with the knowledge that you can add a few more later.
Do You Need a Rooster?
No. Hens lay eggs without a rooster in the flock. You only need one if you want fertilised eggs for hatching.
For most families, a rooster is more trouble than it’s worth. They can be noisy, territorial, and occasionally aggressive, which isn’t a great combination when you have young children in the mix. Sticking to an all-hen flock keeps things calmer, quieter, and considerably more neighbour-friendly.
Choosing the Right Coop
The coop is the foundation of a happy, healthy flock, and for families, the right setup makes daily care feel easy rather than burdensome. There are a few things to prioritise:
Security
A predator-proof coop is non-negotiable, particularly in areas with known predators like foxes, quolls, and goannas. Omlet’s Eglu coops are built with strong heavy-duty steel mesh and anti-tunnel skirts that will keep your flock safe from unwanted visitors.
Easy access for children
Children are much more likely to stay engaged if they can actually reach the eggs. The Eglu Cube and Eglu Pro chicken coops from Omlet feature a side Egg-port that makes egg collecting simple and accessible, even for younger kids.
An automatic door
When choosing a coop, make sure it’s compatible with a smart automatic coop door. In summer especially, hens need letting out early, and that can mean a 5am start if you’re doing it manually. With an autodoor set to open on a schedule, you don’t have to go out at sunrise or rework the kids’ morning routine around the flock. It closes automatically at night too, so locking up is one less thing to think about.
Enough space
Overcrowded coops lead to stressed, unhappy chickens. Omlet’s runs are modular, so you can extend them as your flock grows. The walk-in chicken run is particularly well suited to families. It’s large enough for adults and children to step inside and spend time with the hens, which makes bonding with the flock a genuinely enjoyable part of the day.
Easy cleaning
A coop that’s difficult to clean won’t get cleaned as often as it should. Omlet’s Eglu coops have smooth pull-out roosting racks and droppings trays that can be wiped, scrubbed, and hosed off quickly, and children of most ages can get involved.
For a full checklist of everything you’ll need to get started, take a look at our ultimate chicken keeping checklist.
What Are the Friendliest Chicken Breeds for Families?
Breed makes a real difference when you have children involved. Some chickens are naturally calm and enjoy human contact; others are flighty and easily spooked. For families, especially those with younger children, starting with a docile breed sets everyone up for a much better experience.
Best breeds for families
- Silkies. Fluffy, calm, and most love being handled. Their gentle nature makes them ideal for young children who want to get up close with the flock.
- Buff Orpingtons. Large, gentle, and rarely peck. They’re one of the best first chickens you can get, and their laid-back temperament holds up well around busy, noisy households.
- Plymouth Rocks. Curious and easy to tame, they’re a solid all-rounder for families who want a hen that’s friendly without being overly demanding.
- Easter Eggers. A gentle temperament combined with the novelty of colourful eggs makes these a firm favourite with kids of all ages.
- Bantams. These are smaller versions of regular chicken breeds, (e.g. Pekin Bantam) which makes them far less intimidating for toddlers and younger children who might be nervous around full-sized hens.
Breeds to avoid with small kids
Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds can be feisty and flighty, which can easily overwhelm young children. They’re not bad chickens, but they’re not the most forgiving choice for a first flock with kids in the mix.
Are Chickens Safe Around Kids? Hygiene and Health
Chickens are safe around children when a few simple hygiene habits are in place. The precautions are straightforward, and most children adapt to them quickly once they become part of the daily routine.
Key hygiene rules for families:
- Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling chickens or collecting eggs.
- Supervise toddlers and children under five closely when out with the chickens. They’re more likely to touch their faces without thinking.
- Keep the coop clean. A well-maintained setup dramatically reduces the build-up of bacteria over time, and an easy clean coop like an Omlet Eglu is key.
- Don’t allow children to kiss chickens or bring them indoors.
None of these rules are difficult to follow and will easily become a habit for children.
Chickens vs Other Family Pets: How Do They Compare?
If you’re weighing chickens against other pets, here’s how they stack up across the factors that matter most to families.
- Cost. Chickens are significantly cheaper to keep than dogs. There are no grooming costs and no vet bills for routine care, which makes them a far more affordable long-term commitment for most families.
- Time. No daily walks needed. Around 10 to 15 minutes of care in the morning and evening is enough to keep a small flock happy and healthy.
- Space. A small backyard is sufficient for a small flock, making chickens a realistic option for suburban families who couldn’t accommodate a larger pet.
- Noise. Hens are considerably quieter than dogs. They cluck and chatter, but they won’t disturb the neighbours the way a barking dog might.
- Lifespan. Chickens can live five to ten years as pets, which is a meaningful commitment, but shorter than a dog or cat. It’s worth having an open conversation with your children about this before you get started.
- Allergens. For families where children are allergic to cats or dogs, chickens are a brilliant alternative. They’re a low-allergen option that still gives children all the benefits of caring for a pet.
- Eggs. A bonus no other pet can offer.
What Can Kids Do? An Age-by-Age Guide
One of the best things about keeping chickens as a family is that there’s a role for every age. As children grow, so does their capacity to take on more responsibility, and the flock grows with them.
Ages 3-5
Supervised egg collecting, watching feeding, and gentle supervised petting. At this age it’s about building familiarity and excitement around the flock, with a grown-up close by.
Ages 6-9
Filling feeders and waterers independently, naming hens, and starting to form real bonds with individual birds. This is where daily ownership starts to take shape.
Ages 10-12
Cleaning the coop with guidance, carrying out basic health checks, and keeping a chicken diary to track egg counts and flock behaviour. A brilliant age to take on genuine responsibility.
Teens
Full flock management: monitoring health, managing feed, and confidently introducing new hens to the flock. By this point, most teenagers can run the whole operation with minimal input from parents.
Starting young keeps children connected to the flock from the beginning, and gradually increasing responsibility as they get older builds real confidence. By the time a child reaches their teens, they’re capable of managing the flock almost entirely on their own.
The Mental Health and Educational Benefits
The benefits of keeping chickens extend well beyond the practical. Research consistently shows that regular interaction with animals reduces anxiety and stress in children.
A few of the less obvious benefits worth knowing about:
- Real-world biology. Children learn about life cycles, egg development, and animal behaviour in a way that the classroom can’t replicate. It’s hands-on, observable, and genuinely fascinating.
- Sustainability and food literacy. Understanding where food comes from, and having a direct role in producing it, builds an awareness of sustainability that sticks with children into adulthood.
- Confidence building. For children who are shy or find social situations difficult, the quiet, non-judgmental company of a flock can be genuinely therapeutic. There’s no pressure, no performance, just a calm daily connection.
- Consistent routine. The predictability of chicken keeping, same tasks, same times, every day, provides a structure that benefits children with anxiety or those who thrive on routine.
The evidence backs this up. Studies on animal-assisted activities have found meaningful reductions in cortisol levels and anxiety symptoms in children who spend regular time with animals. Chickens may not be the first animal that comes to mind, but the daily, low-pressure nature of the interaction makes them particularly effective.
Key Takeaways
- Chickens are low-maintenance, affordable, and more rewarding than most people expect, with fresh eggs as a daily bonus.
- The friendliest breeds for families are Silkies, Buff Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks and Easter Eggers.
- Hygiene is simple to manage: handwashing after handling and a clean coop keeps the risk low.
- You don’t need a rooster. Hens lay eggs without one.
- Children of all ages can get involved, from supervised egg collecting as a toddler to full flock responsibility in their teens.
- With the right setup, chickens can be one of the most rewarding pets a family can keep.
Ready to Get Started?
Omlet’s range of coops is designed with families in mind. Eglu coops are predator-proof and built to last, with daily cleaning made quick and easy so the whole family can get involved without it feeling like a chore. The walk-in run gives your flock plenty of space to roam, with the added bonus that the whole family can step inside and spend time with the hens up close. And the Autodoor takes the pressure off busy mornings and evenings, opening and closing on a schedule so you never have to worry about forgetting.
Everything at Omlet is designed to make chicken keeping enjoyable, not a chore. If you’re ready to take the next step, explore our full range of chicken keeping supplies and find the setup that’s right for your family.
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This entry was posted in Chickens on October 23rd, 2020 by bethanbotterill
