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26/03/2012
Chickens Become National Pet Favourite
National Pet Month is approaching but it isn’t just cats and dogs that are getting all the attention, more people than ever before are turning to an alternative to our four legged friends.
Chickens and hens are wowing animal lovers across the UK this year, with the feathery friends increasingly proving their credentials as family pets, research by animal feed specialist Dodson & Horrell reveals.
In the lead up to National Pet Month, which this year runs from 7 April to 7 May, the company has recorded a 25% increase in chicken feed sales across the UK in the last two years and a surge in demand for chicken feeders and accessories.
The popularity of chickens has been backed up by the NFU Poultry board, with an estimated three million hens now being kept in people’s back yards.
Chris Gordon, Technical Director and Dodson & Horrell’s resident chicken enthusiast said: "As well as demand for chicken feed and accessories increasing, we also hear lots of anecdotal evidence to suggest that chickens are fast becoming a viable option when people are choosing pets along with traditional choices like dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs.
"We used to find that chickens were limited to farms or smallholdings and in the gardens of those living in the country but now it’s increasingly common for chickens to reside in backyards in our towns and cities."
For Vanessa Kimbell, who has one of the top UK food and lifestyle blogs (Goddess on a Budget), life without chickens would just be unthinkable. The mother of three, who lives in a village in Northamptonshire, considers her eight chickens an integral part of the family.
"Not only are they fabulous in terms of teaching the kids where food comes from," said Vanessa, "but they are also much loved pets, each with their own personality and traits. We first got the chickens for their fresh eggs, but now they are about far more than that. The children play with them, they are gentle and fun, and get along with our dog and three cats.
"As well as providing us all with hours of entertainment, they are hilarious with their antics, we also eat our own free range fresh eggs with pride - we just love them."
(GK)
Chickens and hens are wowing animal lovers across the UK this year, with the feathery friends increasingly proving their credentials as family pets, research by animal feed specialist Dodson & Horrell reveals.
In the lead up to National Pet Month, which this year runs from 7 April to 7 May, the company has recorded a 25% increase in chicken feed sales across the UK in the last two years and a surge in demand for chicken feeders and accessories.
The popularity of chickens has been backed up by the NFU Poultry board, with an estimated three million hens now being kept in people’s back yards.
Chris Gordon, Technical Director and Dodson & Horrell’s resident chicken enthusiast said: "As well as demand for chicken feed and accessories increasing, we also hear lots of anecdotal evidence to suggest that chickens are fast becoming a viable option when people are choosing pets along with traditional choices like dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs.
"We used to find that chickens were limited to farms or smallholdings and in the gardens of those living in the country but now it’s increasingly common for chickens to reside in backyards in our towns and cities."
For Vanessa Kimbell, who has one of the top UK food and lifestyle blogs (Goddess on a Budget), life without chickens would just be unthinkable. The mother of three, who lives in a village in Northamptonshire, considers her eight chickens an integral part of the family.
"Not only are they fabulous in terms of teaching the kids where food comes from," said Vanessa, "but they are also much loved pets, each with their own personality and traits. We first got the chickens for their fresh eggs, but now they are about far more than that. The children play with them, they are gentle and fun, and get along with our dog and three cats.
"As well as providing us all with hours of entertainment, they are hilarious with their antics, we also eat our own free range fresh eggs with pride - we just love them."
(GK)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A mostly cloudy day with outbreaks of rain, most persistent and occasionally heavy across southern and western counties this afternoon. Risk of low cloud and fog patches affecting the Down coast. Light winds. Maximum temperature 15 °C.Tonight:Continuing cloudy through the evening with further outbreaks of rain, the rain turning lighter and patchier from the south overnight. Winds remain light. Minimum temperature 8 °C.
