Raising Chickens…Backyard Fun

Chickens, that’s right, chickens are becoming America’s newest pet. People all over are raising chickens of all sizes and varieties right in their backyards. As the Green movement surges forward, consumers have been looking for ways to increase their sustainability level in their daily lives. Chickens are great for a number of reasons.
Chickens eat bugs! Lots and lots of bugs! Never again worry about fleas, ticks or mosquitoes! Chickens are also great for eggs, organic of course. They are inexpensive to purchase, baby chicks average $3.00 -5.00 a piece. And the chicken poo! What a great fertilizer for the lawn and gardens! Chicken manure is some of the best fertilizer, organic gardeners love it.
There are literally hundreds of varieties of chickens you can purchase. The Bantams are a smaller version of their original counterpart. Great if you have a smaller yard. To keep them from flying (yes chickens fly) just clip the end feathers of their wings, they won’t be able to take off. Chickens do need a Coop, and nesting boxes for laying eggs. You can buy chicken coops inexpensively or make a homemade one. They need shelter from the elements and a soft place to lay their eggs. Otherwise you will find them all over the yard, hidden under bushes, etc.
We let our chickens have the run of the yard. Free Range they call them. Chickens are much happier when they can run. And no bugs! We decided to get some chicks after several visits to my brother’s house. He lives on the water of a creek. His house has fabulous views, but at first it also had tons and tons of mosquitoes. His neighbor got 4 chickens and a pair of ducks. Since then, he has not had to spray chemicals to get rid of the bugs, put flea and tick chemicals on his 175 lb. Mastiff or spray himself. The chickens and the dog even coexist peacefully! The chickens have free run of the 2 neighboring properties, as they have no fences.
So now we have our own feathered friends. We have 5 kids, a dog and we live in the North East, so we chose a variety of Bantam that is friendly and can withstand the cold. Chickens are fun to have, the eggs are great and the benefit of all natural bug control is the best! Our neighbors don’t mind at all, because we have no Rooster. The chickens are generally quiet, unless they are alarmed by something. Much quieter in fact than my German Sheppard.
Keeping chickens is a great way to live Green and reduce our carbon footprint. Try it!