The popularity of urban and backyard chickens continues to grow, according to Victorian Poultry Fanciers Association (VPFA) secretary Anne Beaty, Congupna.
Ms Beaty said the trend kicked off during the Covid-19 pandemic and has continued since.
"During Covid, everybody wanted poultry and it's only kept on growing since then," she said.
"There are even people in apartments who keep a couple of little bantams out on their balconies in a small enclosure."
The VFPA engaged with hundreds of families and school children over the weekend at 'The Pet Show' at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Families learned about how to keep poultry and the advantages to running a small flock.
Ms Beaty said her team's poultry stand saw great interest.
"A lot of people are interested in keeping bantam chickens," she said.
"They can keep some eggs from them.
"They want them for the kids.
"They make great pets and they're a pet that gives you something back."
She said keeping poultry was also a great way for children to learn about food production.
Ms Beaty suggested there was nothing better than children learning to mind the birds and collecting eggs each morning.
She said hens could be very low maintenance and they didn't require major set up costs.
"As long as you've got a fox proof enclosure for them and you're willing to put in a few yards into getting them set up, they're fine," she said.
"They're something that if you go away on holidays, your neighbour can duck in and feed and collect the eggs and look after them for you."
She said backyard eggs were also becoming a more popular choice for consumers.
She said people were "looking for a product where they actually know what's gone into it".
"With the caged ones, people are worried about antibiotics and all that sort of thing," she said.
"When you have your own in the backyard, you know what you've fed them and you know what you're actually getting."
Ms Beaty said there were even situations where children had allergies and parents were getting hens to help.
She said the parents knew what the chickens were fed and could feed their children these eggs without worry.
"They know that it's a safe product," she said.
Ms Beaty highlighted the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation programme and said it too was driving a spike in families looking to keep backyard hens.
The foundation, set up in 2004, was aimed at educating Victorian school kids about where their food comes from and gave them real life examples and experience, in a school setting.
"The kids go home and tell their mam and dad that they've got half a dozen chickens [in school] and they lay all these eggs," Ms Beaty said.
"And then mum and dad say they can have half a dozen chickens [at home] too."
Readers looking for further information on how to keep backyard poultry can contact the VPFA on admin@vpfa.com.au.
