Viral Post | Chickens in Prams? China’s ‘Cheap Pet’ Trend Has the Internet Clucking

A growing trend in China sees urban residents adopting chickens as household pets, a phenomenon that has garnered billions of views on social media. Owners find them to be affordable, quiet, and easy-to-maintain companions, often treating them like traditional pets with clothing and strollers.

Chickens, long associated with farms and food in China, are increasingly being adopted as household pets by urban residents, according to a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report. Hens and roosters are being treated like companion animals in a number of large cities; they are even permitted to sleep indoors, walk in strollers, and wear clothing.

More than 3.1 billion people have viewed postings about "pet chickens" on Chinese social media, indicating a rising trend among city people searching for unusual and affordable pets.

Aguai, a lady from Guangdong province, told mainland outlet 36Kr that feeding her three pet hens costs less than 30 yuan (about Rs 400) each month. Compared to cats or dogs, she said they are quiet, kind, and simple to maintain, according to SCMP.

Aguai's hens are of the Taihe black-boned silky fowl breed, which is distinguished by its small stature and delicate feathers. She referred to them as "the perfect pets" after ten months of rearing them.

According to reports, veterinarians reassured owners that, in contrast to large-scale poultry production, keeping one or two birds indoors offers little danger of disease. Some owners even let their hens lie next to them.

Owners frequently take their birds around in strollers while outfitting them with shoes, scarves, and caps. According to the study, custom nappies and leashes are typical. The owner of a rooster in Jiangsu province, known as "Slanted Bangs" because to its peculiar comb, frequently posts pictures of it online.

According to SCMP, owners think hens are smart and can comprehend human communication. According to one chicken caretaker, the birds had temperaments and eye contact that are comparable to those of conventional pets.

Raising hens has altered the perception of farm animals for a number of Chinese owners. Even while she still consumes meat, one owner posted on social media that her chicken was now “family, not food.”