Chicken Lover Gifts for Every Kind of Backyard Keeper
Somewhere along the way, a few hens in the backyard turned into one of the happiest hobbies in America. Chicken keepers name their birds and keep a running count of eggs on the kitchen calendar, and most will give a tour of the coop to anyone who asks. They are easy people to shop for, because almost everything about the flock delights them.
This guide gathers chicken lover gifts that keepers will use, starting with ideas for the coop and the kitchen. Our own leather keychains from The Almanac, our farm world, come near the end.
Start With the Coop
The coop is where a keeper spends her mornings, so small comforts there get noticed. Before buying, find out how many birds she keeps and how the coop is set up, since a feeder sized for four hens will empty fast with twelve.
A few ideas that suit most backyard flocks:
- A treat ball or hanging cabbage holder, which keeps the hens busy on days they stay in the run
- A bag of dried mealworms or black oil sunflower seeds for treats, which the birds love like candy and should get in small amounts
- A heated waterer base for keepers in cold climates, so the water stays liquid on winter mornings
- A sturdy egg-collecting apron or basket with pockets for the morning gather
- A coop sign with the flock's name, since many coops have one already and the rest are waiting for it
A local farm supply store is a good source for all of these, and the staff can usually tell you which waterer suits the coop you describe.
Gifts for the Kitchen
Every chicken keeper ends up with more eggs than she knows what to do with, especially in spring and early summer. Gifts that help store and share them always get used. A countertop egg holder that shows the eggs in order of collection is a favorite, as is a stack of reusable egg cartons for passing extras to neighbors.
A good cast iron skillet or a cookbook built around eggs and baking makes a natural pairing. For the keeper who sells a few dozen at the end of the drive, a chalkboard sign and a small cash box turn a pile of eggs into a farm stand. Check local rules before encouraging egg sales, because some states and counties regulate them.
For the Keeper Just Starting Out
A new keeper will soon be asking questions at all hours. A well-regarded beginner's book on backyard chickens, or a membership in a local poultry club, gives her somewhere to turn. Many county extension offices also run classes and publish free guides on raising a small flock.
Think twice before giving live birds as a surprise. Chicks need a heated brooder and weeks of daily care before they move to a predator-proof coop. Many towns also limit flock size or ban roosters. If someone dreams of keeping hens, a gift card to a farm supply store and an offer to help build the coop is a kinder way to start.
Gifts for the Keeper Who Has Everything
Long-time keepers often own every feeder and gadget already, so think about experiences and keepsakes. A trip to a regional poultry show lets her see heritage breeds she has only read about, and many county and state fairs hold poultry judging every summer. A portrait of a favorite hen, painted from a photo by a local artist, tends to end up framed in the kitchen.
Hatching eggs from a respected breeder can thrill a keeper with an incubator and room in the coop, though only when she has asked for them. A heritage breed reference with good photographs makes a lighter choice, since every keeper has a list of birds she wants to add next spring, and a good book feeds that list for years.
If she likes to write things down, a simple flock journal for hatch dates and the name of every hen is a gift that slowly fills with stories. Some keepers pass theirs down along with the flock.
Crazy Chicken Lady and Chicken Math in Leather
Our farm world includes a full shelf of designs for people who love their hens, and you can see them together in our chicken lover gifts collection. Each keychain presses a hen or a basket of eggs into the leather above two lines of lettering, one in brush script and one in engraved capitals.
"Crazy / CHICKEN LADY" comes on fuchsia, the brightest leather we carry, for the keeper who says it first and with pride. "Chicken math / IS REAL" sets a hen and her two chicks on caramel leather for anyone whose six chicks somehow became thirty. "The girls / ARE LAYING" is the spring announcement every keeper sends, and "Fresh eggs / DAILY" borrows the sign at the end of the drive.
For the woman who runs the farmhouse, "Farm / MOM" sits under a mother hen with her chicks, and "Grandma's / EGG MONEY" takes Nana's or whatever name your family uses for her. Both live in our farm family gifts. Keepers who also can and garden will find more in our homestead gifts.
Every keychain is die-pressed on the front into full-grain leather and made by hand to order. Any of our 17 leathers can be requested, and shipping is free in the US.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you get someone who loves chickens?
Something for the coop or the kitchen usually wins, such as a heated waterer base or a countertop egg holder. For a keepsake she will carry every day, a leather keychain reading "Crazy / CHICKEN LADY" or "Chicken math / IS REAL" makes the joke she already tells.
Is it a good idea to give chickens as a gift?
Only when the person has asked for them and has a coop ready. Chicks need weeks of daily care, and many towns limit backyard flocks. A gift card to a farm supply store is a safer way to help.
Can the chicken keychains be personalized?
"Grandma's / EGG MONEY" takes the name your family uses for her, up to ten characters. The other chicken designs carry their lines exactly as shown in the photos.
