reading time: 6 minutes
Uitert-size For children, building a bond with a pet can help develop their language skills, provide a fun sensory experience, and encourage the stewardship of another life. Over the years, I’ve found that chicken is what kids get most excited about. Children know that eggs are food, but they are often shocked when they learn where These eggs come from. They discover that hens lay eggs (from their butts!), And Can you eat those eggs? Can you keep chickens in your backyard? Can’t you love him?
As I share my experiences raising chickens and an autistic child with my readers, more and more people are telling me that they also have a young family member. They often ask which chicken breeds are best for autistic children.
Any chicken can make a great pet. But some breeds are easier to handle, have calmer personalities, and enjoy human company more than others. I believe that the excitement your child experiences with chickens begins with choosing the right breeds to raise. In this article, you’ll discover five breeds of chicken that kids adore, and are especially good for those on the spectrum.
What makes one breed better for children than another?
Any breed has the potential to be a great pet. And sure, the way you raise your chickens also affects how friendly they are. But genetically, some breeds are more likely to make good pets for kids than others. As the birds discussed in this article gain popularity as companion animals, more and more breeders are selecting sire damsels with great personalities. When it comes to keeping chickens with babies, I personally recommend the breeds below because they:
- Quiet and docile.
- Small enough for young children to carry.
- ready to hold.
- Don’t get startled easily.
- Sometimes she tolerates tight hugs.
- They both tolerate heat and cold.
- Create a fun pet and feeding experience.
- Roosters are not generally territorial or aggressive.
silk
Even the name promises a great experience: silk. Originating in Asia, these birds look nothing like your usual chicken. Their feathers are very soft and cloud-like. As adults, they still look like balls of fluff.
why is that? The Silkie’s feathers do not contain barbs, which give the typical plumage its stiff shape. Instead of the hard, stiff feathers that allow them to fly, silk feathers feel…well, silky. Their feathers grab onto the bows easily, and this breed often allows children to play with them and dress them up (within reason, of course).
Dubbed the Muppets of Backyard Chicken World, they are also some of the calmest and most forgiving chickens around. Our daughter loves spending time with Silk. She even naps with one! The generous bird simply sat with her, knowing she would get all kinds of treats. While every child should be taught how to properly hold a chicken, Silkies will put up with the occasional hug very hard, and will keep coming back for more.
a thousand flowers
This Belgian chicken is actually a variant of the Barbu d’Uccle breed. Milleflower means “thousand flowers” and was developed as an ornamental show bird. As true bantams (meaning there is no full size equivalent), these chickens are quite small, with a chicken weighing about 2 lbs. But don’t let its size fool you. they have big Personalities, these birds love human company.
Mille Fleur’s chickens await the arrival of their humans, looking forward to seeing us. They also told us when we were running late for desserts! Kids love to watch this breed because their feathers look a bit like a clown suit. Sometimes, the black tips on the feathers can look like hearts!
Mille Fleurs usually don’t get overwhelmed easily, so it’s perfectly fine to bring them into your home for a quick visit. Because of its size, if a hen is flapping its wings, children on the spectrum are less likely to be frightened. The birds do not make sudden movements, preferring instead to perch on a hammock. Roosters are generally not territorial, and are as patient as chickens. Like Silkies, Mille Fleurs love to be picked up, and enjoy being in little hands.
If you breed these chickens, please remember that their size is also a disadvantage. When boxed with full-sized chickens, they are often at the bottom of the pecking order. Get plenty of feeding zones so your Mille Fleur stays healthy.
Cochin bantams
Back in the day my husband and I made our flock so that we had as many eggs as possible. So, we have collected coins in full size. But when we learned that our son has autism, our priorities changed. He is partly verbal, and spends each day building his language skills. We wanted to raise chickens he He could be excited about it.
Since then, we have bred a lot of cochin plants on our farm. Everyone had their own friendly temperament, even the roosters. Cochin plants are also great because they are constantly laying eggs. Our chickens love to look at us from among their carcasses and check for any food we might have. They are happy to be held or to sit and swing with a child.
These bantams tolerate smaller cages and confinement very well. If your backyard only accommodates 2 to 3 chickens, consider raising Cochin bantams. They are very gentle, get along well with people and other chickens, and the feathers on their feet invite babies. But most importantly, they have forgiving personalities. They love people!
Like full-sized Cochins, these bantams have a lot of feathers and are stout creatures. They do well in the cold because they can fluff their feathers to stay warm.
Fragility
For all kids, and especially for kids on the spectrum, textures are very important. If you add a wrinkle or five to your flock, you will see many smiles in your family. Unlike other chickens, curly feathers do not lie flat. Instead, they point upwards, giving the chicken a messy appearance.
These birds are not a breed per se. Instead, they are genetic variation found in many different types of breeds. For example, you’ll see curly Cochins, curly Orpingtons, and even curly Silkies. Over the years, I’ve noticed that curly chickens are a lot cuter than their “normal” counterparts. Their personalities are more receptive to the hustle and bustle that babies produce too. Babies enjoy petting them, as their feathers provide a great sensory experience. For parents, it is a good opportunity to teach supervision, genetics, and life sciences.
For example, these chickens are produced by pairing a curly parent with a chicken with traditional plumage. Pairing a curly rooster with a curly hen is not a good idea; There is a 25 percent chance that the feathers will be fragile for the offspring, which can be life threatening. (As a side measure, if you want to purchase these hens, always find a breeder that pairs a wrinkle with a non-frazzer. Most major hatcheries produce wrinkles ethically, and are reliable.)
Our credentials provide many, many additional opportunities for supervision education. Most of them are not alpha chickens. They are usually more patient, which makes them great with kids, but they are a target for bullying. They can easily miss a meal if you’re not careful. These opportunities help us teach our children that their favorite chickens may need extra help reaching for food before they are gobbled up by active members of the flock.
Easter Eager Bantam
Easter eggs are popular with new and experienced chicken keepers alike, because Easter eggs can lay colorful eggs. Kids think it’s funny when a hen lays a blue, green or pink egg. We have one hen that lays beautiful green eggs. It’s a much deeper green than the Olive Eggers mode. My kids talk all the time about “green eggs and ham!”
These birds are friendly and welcome people into their fold. And as they gained in popularity, breeders began keeping the breeds particularly child-friendly. For example, many breeders use Ameraucanas, so the chicks have blue egg-laying genes. I’ve noticed over the years that Passovers with an Ameraucana parent not only inherit the potential to lay blue or green eggs, but they also tend to be smaller, calmer and more docile. They prefer to stay in the barn rather than in the free range.
But as much as we love blue eggs, it’s equally important in this case to make sure the other parent isn’t a flighty or easily spooked breed. Leghorns, for example, are small but tend to scare easily. If you’re looking to breed Easter eggs for colored eggs, be sure to ask the breeder what bloodlines your potential new pet has.
Final thoughts
Building relationships with animals has a purgative effect on humans. For people with autism, herding can open up a whole new world of possibilities. It begins with the selection of chicken breeds that will accept human company. Although this list is not exhaustive, it should get you started, and we have had a lot of success on our farm with each of these strains. When you look at chick catalogs, or see little fluff balls at your local farm store, think of one of these types of chickens. You’ll love watching your kids glow!
Uitert size is founder Backyard Chicken and Ducks Blog, Mama’s Pampering Chicken, which reaches nearly 20 million backyard poultry lovers each month. She is also the founder of Living the Good Life with Backyard Chickens, which carries nesting grass, feed, and treats for chickens and ducks. You can catch up with Maat Facebook and Instagram.
Originally published on Community Chickens, March 2020 Regularly checked for accuracy.