In China's first-tier cities, chickens are moving from dinner table staples to beloved pets. Social media has seen immense interest as people in urban areas cherish these birds as household companions.

In several first-tier Chinese cities, chickens, which were once confined to the dinner table, are finding a new role: cherished household companions. On social media, posts and videos about “pet chickens” have racked up over 3.1 billion views, underscoring how they are reshaping perceptions of pet culture in urban China. In southeastern China’s Guangdong province, a local saying goes: “No chicken leaves here alive”, a testament to the region’s love of eating poultry. Yet one woman, Aguai,...