words Alexa Wang
There’s a big difference between raising chickens for eggs, and raising chicks. The same way that you cannot treat your teenage children as when they were babies, you cannot keep your chickens in the brooder forever. You need to prepare proper space, food, and clean environments for your growing flock and birds.
You are in charge of your chickens lives. You can customize you’re coop in whatever style you like. Every chicken breed is different, so be sure to do your research. You need to be sure that it’s big enough to prevent pecking, but not too large as to be unmanageable. You can build your own chicken coop or order one from my chicken coop. More imaginative chicken owners build “Mobile Coops”. These coops are set up on a chassis, and can be wheeled around the yard or garden, fertilizing as they go. Either way, you are in for a fun, educational experience. Many people will come to see their chickens as pets. The eggs are fresh, organic, and healthier than any store bought product. From the financial side, raising chickens is cost effective. The initial investment of the coop and materials is offset quickly. Chickens will eat almost anything humans can. They will eat plants, insects, or leftovers. This allows you to reduce waste, and take care of the environment as well.
Raising chickens isn’t all fun and games. The pecking order is a very real thing. If you don’t give your chickens enough room, there will be fights, and death. Unfortunately, no matter how careful you are, the new coop owner is certainly going to lose a few birds. If they don’t hurt themselves, a stray bird will find a cayote, cat, or car. It happens, so be ready. Another issue is the problem of roosters. It is incredibly difficult to determine a baby chick’s sex, so it’s quite possible one of yours is a rooster. IN many urban environments, it’s illegal to host roosters. If you find that you have one, you either need to find a good home for it, or a good sauce to go with it. When it comes to the eggs, it’s important to check every day. If eggs are not chilled soon after being laid, the fetuses will start to develop.
If you’re even kind of interested in raising chickens, you should do your research. If you’re not scared off by chicken poop, and temperamental hens, then go for it. Each breed is as unique as its owner. Raising chickens is an adventure waiting to be discovered.
Image source – https://unsplash.com/s/photos/backyard-chicken
