If you want to keep a few have at least two or three. The Hen House Where there are hens, there are predators. Chickens will be happy to be strutting around free range-like but sooner, without a place to roost, you'll end up losing some. In the country, they attract a lot, in the city they attract rats let alone cats. Sexing the chicken is not as easy as it looks, so you are better off asking the help of a chick sexer if you're not well trained to do it on your own. Pet chickens naturally have to be free-range. They love to have enough space to walk around with, so make sure there's enough of it. Perches also need to be set up since it is hardwired into a chicken's instincts to roost and sleep on an elevated surface. A coop should be safe from cold drafts, but also well ventilated. Too much moisture can cause ammonia to accumulate within the shelter and cause diseases. The general rule of thumb is to set up the door in a way that it opens inwards, so that the air can freely enter the shelter. Another technique is to position the coop in an area where it faces the sun. You might have your own ideas already, but it shouldn't hurt to expand your knowledge on the pros of raising chickens at home. After all, an advantage can only be one if you recognize it for what it is. The following are the benefits one can have when raising chickens at home: Home-Kept Eggs Are Healthier. In fact it is not. Chicken may be very low maintenance birds but they have survived longer than us and their population is several hundred folds over ours. True they are prone to diseases and pests but their population is a testament that chickens are survivors. More so with hands that care. Chicken will eat just about anything. Example of the bantam breeds that are good for pets are the Barred Plymouth Rocks and the Rhode Island Reds as they are mild tempered. If you want a good layer bantam, you would do well with a Cochin. The Buff Orbington on the other hand is a larger bantam breed and is very friendly too. These are only some of the excellent choices.