Kind of pets maybe, but they are never inside our house and will not sit on my lap. They are nice company when we are outside, follow us where we walk, funny and nice to look at and love to dig in in the soil together with me. I sow and plant - then they dig it up ...
So I guess we have them for company and eggs. We get lots of eggs these days. During daytime, if we or one of our neighbor is at home, they can walk freely in the garden. But at night and today, when we are not at home, they stay in a smaller, well fenced, area. The fox can't get them there.