Raising Chickens ? They Provide Those Delicious Eggs And Make Great Pets Too

All over the country you can hear the gentle clucking of millions of chickens as they scratch around in the backyard. What is going on? It seems that raising chickens has become an extremely popular pastime in many households, where these feathered ladies strut their stuff, to the amusement of the family who have probably just enjoyed a delicious breakfast of fresh, healthy, wholesome eggs.

It is fact that raising chickens is no longer the preserve of the country dwellers, in fact, “urban warriors” have taken to keeping chickens in their thousands. Maybe it is the promise of all those lovely eggs or possibly a succulent roast chicken dinner or maybe it is because people have found that chickens actually make appealing pets. Perhaps it is all three reasons.

Whatever the incentive, keeping chickens in the backyard has gained rapidly in popularity and there is very good reason for this. The slump in the economy and the growing awareness of the benefits of “green” living have probably been major factors but when you do some research, you will find that there are many other benefits that raising chickens in your backyard can offer.

While most people probably see chickens as a source of those fresh eggs and healthy meat, many families have found that chickens make very engaging pets and provide a great deal of amusement particularly for children. O.K. you cannot train them as you can a dog, but then you do not have to take them out for long walks. Simply let them scratch around in the backyard and they will be perfectly happy.

Another important reason are the regular stories that hit the headlines concerning the appalling conditions that some commercially raised chickens are forced to live in. There is a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that those delicious eggs have come from chickens raised in comfortable conditions, where they have plenty of room to move around.

Furthermore, raising your own chickens means you know exactly what they have been fed on, so there is no concern that your family may be consuming potentially harmful chemical additives.

It is the thought of those delicious eggs that attracts most people and there is no doubt that freshly laid eggs are far superior to those bought from the supermarket. Home raised free range hens get a more varied diet than those raised commercially and this offers extra health benefits and it has been shown that free range eggs contain higher levels of important vitamins.

Finally, it is so easy to keep chickens. As long as they have a comfortable home to roost, shelter and lay eggs and they have room to just strut around scratching at bugs and practicing their clucking, you will have a flock of healthy, contented feathered ladies. They will reward you with a regular supply of those delicious eggs. What could be better?

So there you have it; some very good reasons for considering raising chickens yourself. You will however, want to give your feathered friends a good home and it is possible to provide your chickens with a substantial home and save a great deal of money into the bargain. If you have some basic handyman skills and a few tools, then with the right guidance you can quite easily build a chicken coop yourself. Apart from the money you will save, it will definitely add to the fun side of your project.