Raising chickens has become a very popular hobby over the past few years. It might seem to be an odd hobby to get into, but you’ll be surprised at what it has to offer. This hobby has so many amazing benefits other then just the joy of raising chickens, and believe it or not chickens actually do have personalities.
Great pets are not all that you can expect from raising chickens. They will also provide you with much needed therapy. Watching these chickens play and peck around will actually help you to reduce and wash away the stress of your day.
Some additional benefits of chicken raising include bug control (they’ll happily eat bugs and insects), and of course reduce the cost of eggs each week.
But what do you need to raise chickens in your backyard?
Surprisingly enough not much. Chickens require very little care compared to many other animals but you will need to give them proper shelter and the right amount of space for them to play around and thrive in.
This doesn’t mean that raising chickens is for everyone.
There are still some things that you must take into consideration before you go out and purchase any chickens. And three of the most important considerations are going to be whether you have the right amount of space for the coop (and free ranging space), if you have the necessary time to care for them, and also if you have money to raise them.
The good news is that keeping chickens is not that expensive at all, especially when you take into consideration the free eggs you’ll benefit from.
Chicken coops come in all sizes.
Generally the size of the coop will depend on how many chickens that you plan on having, and of course the bigger the coop the better. You can find plans online for free to build your own coop or you can purchase one in a store.
There are also some factors in the placement of the coop that you will need to take into consideration. Such as is it a dry area that’s free from drafts? Is it safe from other animals that would want to harm or eat them? If there’s not an area around your home that fits these specifications then you’ll need to do some proper research on the various options and alternatives that are available to you.
As I mentioned earlier chickens do not really require much care but this doesn’t mean that you can just throw them in your backyard and let them fend for themselves. You will need to clean their coop regularly. You will also need to give them fresh water, food and let them out every day.
One of the best things about this hobby is that it can pay itself off. Selling the eggs that your chickens produce can help to recoup the money you invest in this hobby, for the coop itself, and other related equipment and regular chicken feed.
You can expect to get four to six eggs each week from one single hen and of course the more chickens that you have the more eggs that you will be able to produce.
There are many other things that you should learn about before you begin this amazing hobby and I would suggest that you learn as much as you can about raising chickens and egg laying hens before you begin. This will help you to get a better understanding of what to expect and ensure you get started on the right track.
See Also…
How To Grow A More Productive Veggie Garden…
How To Turn The Food I Grow Into Healthy Hearty Meals…
How To Keep Chickens, Rabbits & Other Livestock…
How To Turn Herbs Into Natural Health & Wellness…
