User submission

Meet Charlie, My Adorable Pet Chicken

Yes, you read that right. A chicken as a house pet is like having a feathery dog with you everywhere you’re allowed to take him. This story begins at a family farm I volunteered on the summer of 2016. It was companionship at first sight, the way he let me pick him up by my feet surprised me at how docile he was. He never left my side that day as I fed and cleaned animal stalls. As my time came to a close that day, I went to put him back down in the grass and he stayed by my feet as I waved and said the words “goodbye Charlie.”

As I had already named him. The owner of the farm looked at me and asked “Want to take him home with you?” Of course my facial expression was in shock as I quickly thought of what his future would look like with me but whatever I envisioned that day, I instantly fell in love with that idea of having a pet chicken. She gave me a shallow cardboard box that he rode all the way home in (about an hour drive.) From that day forward, he became my best friend, my house pet, my cuddle buddy, and copilot for all of my uber driving adventures. He even follows me around the house like I’m mother hen with his little chicken diaper on. When I yell his name in distress from one side of the house when he’s on the other, you can hear his mini dinosaur feet run faster and faster down the wooden floored hallway as he screeches like he is my protector.

I love to take him everywhere I can with me, Petsmart, Home Depot, the beach, he even sleeps with me every night. As some of you know, male chickens are roosters so the main question I expect to be asked is, doesn’t he crow? Yes, he does. Only at the most unique times and with purpose. When I get ready for work in the morning, as I close my bedroom door after I say the words “Bye Charlie, see you soon” and I start walking out to my car to leave down the driveway, I can hear him start to crow in awe of missing me. It’s like leaving a child at home when you have to go to work every morning, it’s such a terrible feeling. On pet night with a mall santa, while everyone else was bringing dogs, I brought Charlie. As you can see in the pictures, he’s made a huge impact on my life and an even bigger impact on my heart. So, if anyone in the future asks you how chickens do as house pets (yes, even roosters) they’re unique. With being the daughter of a veterinary technician who’s had every animal in the book, I can honestly say Charlie is the best pet I’ve ever had. The bond you share with a chicken like Charlie is the most wholehearted feeling you could ever encounter with a companion.

More info: Instagram

Meet Charlie, My Adorable Pet Chicken