23岁的谭诺尔（音译）是新加坡科技设计大学学生，他早就开始养宠物乌鸡了。谭说，大约四年前，他初次开始养鸡时，当地的宠物鸡主人脸书社群“Backyard Chickens Singapore”只有五六百人。此后，这个社群已经发展到3000多名成员，其中许多人是养乌鸡的。
现在，谭诺尔拥有10只乌鸡，并且已经成为新加坡养鸡界最杰出的养鸡人之一。谈到养鸡的原因，他说，对乌鸡的喜爱是一见钟情，当他在朋友家第一次看到乌鸡时，立即就被它们可爱的外表迷住了。
He co-founded a chicken supplies company as well as Chicken Adoption Rescue SG, a local chicken shelter; since the shelter was set up last year, during Singapore’s COVID lockdown, Tan said his team has rescued nearly 200 chickens around Singapore.
谭诺尔和人合伙开办了一家宠物鸡用品公司以及一家本地的小鸡收容所“Chicken Adoption Rescue SG”；这个收容所是去年新加坡因新冠疫情封城时成立的，自那以来，他们已经在新加坡各地救助了近200只鸡。
社交隔离催生宠物热潮
据Vice报道，疫情期间的社交隔离是最近乌鸡宠物热潮的主要原因。随着越来越多的人在家办公，他们的社交生活变少了，而宠物也就成为了他们对抗孤独感的家庭伴侣。
图源：Ins
With more people working from home and having their social lives stripped down to a fraction of what it used to be, pets appeared to be attractive home companions to combat COVID loneliness.
随着越来越多的人在家办公，社交生活大幅缩减，宠物似乎成为了受欢迎的家庭伴侣，帮助人们抵御新冠疫情带来的孤独感。
Ng, who works in the pet food industry, saw chicken keeping as a good way to educate his children about pet nutrition and ecosystems. For example, he demonstrated to his children how chicken manure can be used as fertilizer, while fruits grown from the plant can then be fed to the chicken.
从事宠物食品行业的Ng认为，养鸡是教育孩子宠物营养和生态系统的好方式。例如，他向自己的孩子们演示了如何将鸡粪用作肥料，而植物生长出来的果实可以喂鸡。
运动按摩治疗师Gloria Sharp虽然是第一次养鸡，但她表示自己得到了新加坡养鸡者社区的大力支持。
From how to handle roosters’ crowing to common ailments like bumblefoot, Silkie owners often discuss and share tips for raising Silkies in online community groups. Experienced chicken owners are also generous in guiding newbies who are dealing with chicken-related issues.
从如何处理公鸡的啼叫到常见的疾病，比如鸡趾瘤症，乌鸡的主人经常在网络论坛上讨论和分享饲养乌鸡的技巧。经验丰富的养鸡人也慷慨地指导新手处理与鸡有关的问题。
Like other pets, Silkie chickens are a long-term commitment that many, enchanted by their fluffiness, may forget. With a life span of about nine years, Silkie chickens come with quirks and responsibilities that some may not be ready for.
和养其他宠物一样，养乌鸡也是一种长期的承诺。许多人被它们毛茸茸的样子吸引，可能会忘记这点。乌骨鸡的寿命约为9年，有些人可能还没有准备好接受乌鸡的怪癖和饲养的责任。
Having long been domesticated as ornamental pets, Silkies are prone to sickness if not taken care of properly. If abandoned recklessly, they’re basically defenseless against natural elements and predators like cats, snakes, and monkeys.
由于长期被当作观赏性宠物驯养，如果不加以妥善照顾，乌鸡很容易生病。如果随意遗弃，它们基本上无法抵御自然因素和天敌，如猫、蛇和猴子。
如果你正在饲养宠物，或者有此打算，无论他们是小猫、小狗、小乌龟，或是一只小鸡，请记住养宠不抛弃！
来源：Vice，Instagram
编辑：董静
来源：chinadaily.com.cn
来源：中国日报网
