Thursday, September 16, 2010

Raising Backyard Chicks Fun And Entertaining


     Chickens have got to be the easiest, most forgiving, creatures for a small farm to manage. While any book you pick up on chickens would have you believe that they can suffer from any number of perfectly horrible parasites and problems, the fact is... there's nothing to them. They'll call the shabbiest accomidations home (a friend of mine kept hers in an old truck cap for years), make dandy pets, are virtually self-feeding during the summer... will even reproduce themselves for you, if you provide them with even the most basic shelter and protection for them to set in. What they won't do is make you money (beyond the scope of this site). But they'll more or less break even, and provide you with fine fertilizer, fresh eggs, and hours of cheerful entertainment.

If you're interested in raising chickens backyard chicken farming might be for you. Backyard chicken farming is becoming more and more popular all over the world, and is taking off in major cities around North America. You no longer need a ranch to raise your own chickens and reap the benefits of the fresh, delicious eggs they produce. Here are three tips to help you get started raising your own chickens.

1) Hens are easier to deal with than roosters.
Hens are the egg producers, so they're obviously what you want to focus on. Hens are quieter, smaller, much less aggressive, and generally easier to deal with than roosters. If you do keep roosters on your property, keep it to an absolute minimum. Check with your municipal laws, as some areas don't even allow you to keep roosters.

2) Keep your chickens fenced in to one area.If you keep chickens in your yard, it's very important that you designate a specific area for the chickens to reside in. You don't want the chickens having the run of your yard, or worse, somehow getting into your neighbours' yards. In the house is even worse, as chickens can do serious damage just through their natural behaviour.


3) Build your chickens a good quality coop.If you want your chickens to product high quality, delicious eggs, you'll need to ensure that they're safe and healthy. Chickens living in a stressful environment simply won't lay good eggs so protecting your chickens from harsh elements and keeping them safe from hungry predators like foxes and racoons is absolutely essential. You can buy a pre-made coop, or a coop kit, but it'll be notably more expensive than building a coop yourself. There are multiple guides available on the net that will provide you with high quality plans and instructions, and you can build most coops without the need for special tools and previous building experience isn't necessary.

So if you think raising chickens might be something for you, remember to follow these simple tips. Raising chickens and harvesting fresh eggs is a joy that many people have embraced recently, and whether you love the idea of raising animals, or just love fresh eggs, it might be just what you're looking for.
  

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